The Institute on Religion and Public Policy  

China has been a hot topic over the past decade. China's rise can both challenge and help the U.S. on many fronts including the economy, the environment, and security issues. Despite the importance of the US-China relationship, ties have been tenuous at times. America's loud public outcries against China's human rights abuses, its treatment of Taiwan and Tibet, and consumer scandals regarding food and toys have strained the relationship. Some analysts question whether US foreign policy towards China should change and whether it will change under President Obama. Our guest today, is Dr. Carol Lee Hamrin. She has a Ph.D. in Chinese and comparative world history, and she worked for the State Department for 25 years as a senior Research Specialist on China issues. During that time she was awarded the Secretary of State's Career Achievement Award and received the Center for Public Justice Leadership Award. She is now a research professor at George Mason University and serves as a Senior Associate for the Global China Center in Charlottesville, VA. As a result of her lifetime of work on China, she brings a long-term perspective on China's dramatic changes and provides valuable insight into the direction this country is taking. Dr. Hamrin will be discussing with us today the issues related to US-China relations and ways to amend our approach to create a more stable and more fruitful relationship with one of the fastest growing countries in the world