Interpreting Xi Jinping's First Trip Abroad: Glimpses of an Emerging Diplomatic Strategy?

Opening remarks by:

Dr. Zbigniew Brzezinski
CSIS Counselor and Trustee, Center for Strategic and International Studies

Featuring:

Dr. David M. Lampton
George and Sadie Hyman Professor; Director of China Studies, Johns Hopkins Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies

Moderated by:

Christopher K. Johnson
Senior Adviser and Freeman Chair, Freeman Chair in China Studies

Chinese President Xi Jinping recently made his foreign debut as head of state with a visit to Russia and an African tour culminating in his attendance at the BRICS summit in South Africa. Xi's choice of destinations for his first overseas visit has aroused intense speculation about what it may portend for China's foreign policy priorities under the Xi administration. This event will examine the trip in the context of Xi’s efforts to consolidate power domestically and how his emerging foreign policy strategy aligns with the broader trends in Chinese foreign policy thinking and their implications for U.S.-China relations.