The US-China Relationship: From Trade Deal to Geopolitical Challenge

In 1843, a bill was passed in Congress with the aim of establishing commercial relations between the United States and China. This bill, which instructed President John Tyler to initiate the process, allocated $40,000 for the task but provided no specific instructions on how to proceed. Despite the lack of guidance, the bill ultimately led to a trade deal between the two nations that endured for an impressive 99 years.

Since that initial trade deal, the relationship between the United States and China has experienced significant fluctuations, oscillating between opportunities and threats. Today, the House's select committee on China, formed earlier this year, seeks to create a national consensus on the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and develop a comprehensive response to its growing power.

The committee's primary focus revolves around several key issues, including human rights abuses, the CCP's international influence, and the alliance between Russia and China. However, one of its main priorities is determining how to effectively deter conflict over Taiwan, a topic of great concern for both the United States and China.

While there is bipartisan support for pushing back on China, there are disagreements among policymakers regarding the role of diplomacy in shaping US-China relations. This podcast episode delves into the historical context of the US-China relationship, explores the current challenges and opportunities, and examines the ongoing efforts of the House's select committee on China to address these complex issues.

Washington has been busy debating what to do about China. Arguments abound about whether to try to engage with the Communist Party, or to focus on deterrence. Congress continues to debate industrial policy, arming Taiwan and whether to ban TikTok. And as the House’s select committee releases policy suggestions, the Biden administration is forming its own through executive orders. How bipartisan will the next stage of US-China policy be? And what will it look like?

Representative Mike Gallagher, chair of the House’s China Select Committee, along with Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi, the Democratic ranking member, discuss the committee’s aims and possible achievements. And we go back to another time Congress set America’s China policy.

John Prideaux hosts with Charlotte Howard and Idrees Kahloon.

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