Susan Thornton on the urgent need for diplomacy with China over the Russo-Ukraine War

This week on Sinica, Kaiser is joined by Susan Thornton, former Acting Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs and a veteran diplomat. Susan makes a compelling case for the importance of diplomacy in the U.S.-China relationship — and the alarming absence of real diplomacy over the last several years. She helps interpret American and Chinese diplomatic engagements over the Russo-Ukrainian War and assesses the prospects for China actually playing a role in negotiating an end to the conflict. 3:42 – What diplomacy is really all about, and why it's so conspicuously absent 7:32 – Does it make sense for the U.S. to expect Beijing to outright condemn the invasion? 10:40 – What should the U.S. actually expect from China? 13:55 – Is China willing and able to play a meaningful role as a mediator? 17:06 – What's up with the leaks? 21:32 – Reading the readouts 28:20 – What is China's optimal endgame here? 32:06 – China's "southern strategy" 34:50 – Do upcoming U.S. midterm and presidential elections matter to Beijing? 41:29 – What are we missing when we talk about China's perspectives on the war? A full transcript of this interview is available on SupChina.com Recommendations: Susan: Butter Lamp, a short film directed by Hu Wei, nominated for Best Live Action Short at the 87th Academy Awards Kaiser: Birria Tacos. Here's a good recipe! (These should come with a doctor's warning) See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.