Why Beating China Might Be the US' Wrong Focus
Is every move against China strengthening the US—or is it just making us weaker? Jessica Chen Weiss breaks it down.
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About the Episode
Almost every conversation about China is framed as an all-out competition—but expert Jessica Chen Weiss argues that reflexive rivalry is making America weaker, not stronger. She breaks down why resilience matters more than dominance, how strategic integration protects US interests, and why “beating” China shouldn’t be the ultimate goal.
About the Experts
David M. Lampton Professor of China Studies, Johns Hopkins University
Jessica Chen Weiss is the David M. Lampton Professor of China Studies at Johns Hopkins University's School of Advanced International Studies, the inaugural faculty director of the Institute for America, China, and the Future of Global Affairs (ACF), and a nonresident senior fellow at the Asia Society Policy Institute Center for China Analysis.
President & Chief Executive Officer, Chicago Council on Global Affairs
Dr. Leslie Vinjamuri joined the Council in 2025 as the president and chief executive officer, after previously serving as director of the US and the Americas program at the Royal Institute of International Affairs, known as Chatham House, in London. She brings more than 20 years of experience working at the intersection of international affairs, research, policy, and public engagement.
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