China's America Policy: Origins and Implications

Abstract: Beijing's current policies to address perceived threats from the United States date from about 2008-2009. The policy shift antedates Xi Jinping's ascent to the top of the Communist Party and shaped his mandate. It was triggered by domestic developments that were perceived to endanger continued Party rule, heighten vulnerabilities to internal and external pressures, and a judgment that US willingness to exploit PRC vulnerabilities increased the threat from the United States. The resultant policy package accords higher priority to protection of the regime than to economic growth.

Bio: Dr. Thomas Fingar is a Shorenstein APARC Fellow in the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies at Stanford University. He was the inaugural Oksenberg-Rohlen Distinguished Fellow in 2010-2015 and the Payne Distinguished Lecturer at Stanford in 2009. From 2005 through 2008, he served as the first Deputy Director of National Intelligence for Analysis and, concurrently, as Chairman of the National Intelligence Council. Dr. Fingar served previously as Assistant Secretary of the State Department's Bureau of Intelligence and Research (2000-2001 and 2004-2005), Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary (2001-2003), Deputy Assistant Secretary for Analysis (1994-2000), Director of the Office of Analysis for East Asia and the Pacific (1989-1994), and Chief of the China Division (1986-1989). Between 1975 and 1986 he held positions at Stanford University, including Senior Research Associate in the Center for International Security and Arms Control. Dr. Fingar is a graduate of Cornell University (A.B. in Government and History, 1968), and Stanford University (M.A., 1969 and Ph.D., 1977 both in Political Science). He has authored or edited six books, dozens of articles, and served as the approving editor on approximately 20,000 US government assessments.