Navigating U.S.-China Relations: Lessons From History for Today’s Global Economy

In this episode, Mike Burke, AGG Corporate & Finance partner and chair of the firm’s International practice, welcomes lawyer and author Amy Sommers for an insightful discussion on the shifting landscape of U.S.-China relations. Drawing on her 40 years of engagement with China — including more than a decade advising multinational companies in Shanghai — Amy reflects on lessons from history, parallels to the autumn of 1950, and the challenges and opportunities global businesses face amid today’s economic and geopolitical uncertainties.Mike and Amy discuss the impacts of tariffs, supply chain disruptions, demographic shifts, and regulatory unpredictability, as well as the evolving role of states and CEOs in shaping international investment. They also consider what U.S. companies can learn from navigating China’s complex business environment and how those lessons apply to today’s increasingly fragmented global economy.