On October 6-7, 2016, the 17th iteration of Stockholm China Forum took place in Washington, D.C. By bringing together senior U.S., European, and Chinese representatives from government, media, business, and academia and with a remarkably topical agenda the Forum creates a unique, and interactive intellectual space where the most pressing policy issues that concern all three policy communities are discussed.

The topics covered ranged from Obama’s rebalance legacy for the Asian security to EU-China relations after Brexit, and the implications of rising populism in Europe and the United States on China policy.

A storyline of the event below will guide you through the discussions and the broader questions, arguments, and thoughts on the state of play of the trilateral relationship.

Notes from Stockholm China Forum,

By Amy Studdart

“Everything You Need To Know About China, #1”

Our Asia Fellow Amy Studdart opened the discussion by live-blogging the event. Her posts guided us through the most crucial policy questions on China:

  • Who is going to set the rules of the global economy, and what will they be?
  • Is “cyber” necessarily a competitive space between the U.S., Europe, and China? And are the U.S. and Europe so far apart that they can’t work together in shaping global policy?
  • Can China be a partner in addressing some of the world’s worst crises?
  • What’s going on in Chinese politics?

Read more here

“Everything You Need To Know About China, #2”

A short recap of the six years of U.S.-EU-China relations and the Forum’s evolution. “While everything changes, everything remains the same as well”? Progress or regress? Read more here.

The Hangzhou G20 Summit: A Readout and Obama's Rebalance: What Legacy for the Asian Security Order?

“Whither the Liberal Order?”

What are the models and values upon which the West’s relationship with China is built, and the framework within which it operates? How should we evaluate the Obama rebalance? Read more here

Andrew Small‏ 

Hans Kundnani‏

Amy Chang‏   

Related article: Aaron Friedberg, “Obama’s legacy in Asia: A growing rivalry?”, Transatlantic Take, August 31, 2016.

Europe, the U.K., and China: The Relationshp(s) Beyond Brexit

“Bad News Brexit”

Bad for China, Bad for Britain, Bad for Europe…Read more here

Andrew Small‏   

Malin Oud‏    

Related article : Andrew Small, “China-UK relations: Come What May”,  Transatlantic Take, August 31, 2016

Global Hotspots and Crisis Management: How Much Substance is There to the West's Cooperation with China?

“Avoiding World War III: The South China Sea”

A recent Pew survey found that 59% of Chinese respondents are concerned that tensions in the South China Sea could turn into military conflict. At Stockholm China Forum pessimism among European and U.S. policymakers was just as high. Read more here

Amy Chang

Andrew Small‏   

CFR’s Asia Unbound recorded “Live from Stockholm China Forum”. Listen to the podcast.

Populism: What Shifting Domestic Politics in the West Mean for Future Dealings With China? 

Bethany Allen-Ebrahimian

Overcapacity, Outbound Investment and the Changing Geoeconomic Order: Are We Heading For A Clash?

“Saving Our Open Economy”

The big takeaways from the enormously dense conversation on trade and investment at SCF17.

Read more here

Hans Kundnani‏

Follow the story line of SCF 17 

Stockholm China Forum - Washington DC, October 2016

The Stockholm China Forum is an initiative of the German Marshall Fund of the United States (GMF) and the Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs. The Forum also benefitted from the additional support of the Wallenberg Foundations AB.