Sam Chetwin George

I'm excited to announce my appointment as Senior Fellow at the Asia Society's Center on U.S.–China Relations in New York. In this role, I’ll continue my work on contemporary China and how its domestic and foreign policy are shaped by the history and ideology of the Chinese Communist Party. The tectonic plates of the international order are shifting. As China pursues what Xi Jinping calls the “great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation,” the United States is simultaneously reimagining the nature and scope of its global role. The interplay of these trajectories will define the coming decades of international politics. One particular focus of my work will be the competing visions for the future of artificial intelligence in China and the United States, and what differences in these visions might teach us about the nature of these two powers. Alongside this role, I will continue as a Research Fellow at China Heritage, working with Emeritus Professor Geremie Barmé. My research there on Chinese political and intellectual history helps to keep the broader sweep of history in view. I'm grateful to Orville Schell @orvilleschell, Abassador Kevin Rudd @AmboRudd, and the Asia Society for this opportunity. I can’t imagine a more compelling set of questions to be working on. More soon. lnkd.in/ePFej3vP

A few days before the Hungarian election, I was in Budapest to discuss China’s expanding interests in the region at the Central European University @ceu. By that point, Orbán was trailing badly in polling, but my Hungarian interlocutors also suggested that he was losing the loyalty of his security apparatus (police, military, and intelligence). Mao Zedong said that political power grows from the barrel of a gun – in other words, unless you control the instruments of coercion, continued rule is never guaranteed. Orbán’s historic defeat today is a reminder of the limits of power. Trump’s strategists will be studying this situation closely in the lead up to the mid-terms, as several of them took inspiration from Orbán’s example.

Highly recommend this newsletter by one of New Zealand's most brilliant journos.

@ChannelGold Thank you!

@samchetwin That's a terrific read. Well done and thank you Sam.

Thrilled to appear in The China Story yearbook, a publication I've long admired.

NEW: In a speech last month, Xi Jinping pushed for "digital government" for a more efficient and accountable officialdom. Full translation, plus notes, by @samchetwin digichina.stanford.edu/work/xi-pushes… 1/