Thursday, 04-22-2010

The Beijing Consensus: How the Chinese Model will Dominate the 21st Century, a Luncheon and Conversation with Dr. Stefan Halper

As U.S.-China relations shift, what are the new rules of engagement? What does China’s growing economic and military influence in the developed and developing worlds mean for the United States, the 21st Century global order, and the continuing power of Western values? What does China’s increasing geopolitical influence mean for American prosperity, global leadership, and cultural influence for the next century?

The World Affairs Council presents Author and Director of the Donner Atlantic Studies Programme at the Centre of International Studies, Dr. Stefan Halper. Dr. Halper is a Senior Fellow at the Centre of International Studies and a Senior Research Fellow at Magdalene College, Cambridge. He lectures on latter 20th Century US foreign policy, China, and contemporary international security issues.

His current book, “The Beijing Consensus: How China’s Authoritarian Model will Dominate the 21st Century”, will be published April 6, 2010. Books will be available for purchase before and following the luncheon.

“The rise...of modern China has generated megabytes of commentary, most of it rather predictable in content and ideas. Here at last is a fresh, original book of great insight that gives an alternative and attention-grabbing view of China’s steady advance towards super-power status. Stefan Halper’s book decodes the wider and worrying significance of such a striking historical juxtaposition.”
--Sir Richard Dearlove, Master, Pembroke College and former Chief of the British Secret Intelligence Service (M16)

“Stefan Halper provides a thoughtful and well researched book that addresses the impact of China’s market-authoritarian model on global affairs in the century before us. Halper points to a ‘battle of ideas’ in which China challenges Western concepts of governance while appealing to the developing world with a model for growth and stability.”
--Henry Kissinger, former Secretary of State

Dr. Halper holds doctorates from both Oxford and Cambridge. He has served four American presidents in the White House and Department of State and is an expert on US foreign policy, national security policy, China, and Anglo-American relations. Stefan Halper’s last book “The Silence of the Rational Center”, was published by Basic Books in 2007. In 2005 his “bestseller”, America Alone; The Neo-conservatives and the Global Order”, was published by The Cambridge University Press.

From 1996-2000, Dr. Halper was Executive Editor and host of “Worldwise,” a nationally televised program on foreign and national security affairs; from 1985-2001 he was the Executive Editor and host of the national radio program “This Week from Washington.”

Moderator:
Joseph J. Borich is the President of the Washington State China Relations Council. Prior to his current position, Mr. Borich was a Foreign Service Officer. He entered the Foreign Service in 1972 and was closely associated with the China field throughout most of his career, serving under every president from Nixon to Clinton in a China-related capacity. His last assignment was as Consul General in Shanghai from October 1994 through June 1997; he previously helped open this Consulate General in 1980. He also served as Director of the Taiwan Coordination Staff in the Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs in the Department of State, and prior to that as the last Deputy Chief of Mission in the former U.S. Embassy in Mogadishu.

In his current position, Mr. Borich leads the only State-level association dedicated solely to promoting relations with China. The Council has been a leading voice since 1979 in promoting trade between China, Hong Kong, and the United States. This not-for-profit organization represents over 150 corporate members such as The Boeing Company, Microsoft Corporation, Weyerhaeuser, Frank Russell Company, Costco Wholesale, PACCAR International, Starbucks Coffee Company, major ports, banks, law firms, and other manufacturers, retailers, businesses and major universities in Washington State.

Mr. Borich was born in Minnesota in 1944, received a bachelor’s degree from South Dakota State University in 1967, and a master’s degree from the University of South Dakota in 1972. He was a Peace Corps volunteer in Thailand from 1967 to 1969, and served in the U.S. Army from 1969-1971, including a tour in Vietnam. Mr. Borich, his wife Ting Hsiao-hui and their daughter Grace reside in Seattle.


Co-Presenters:
Cambridge in America
The Greater Seattle Chinese Chamber of Commerce
Trade Development Alliance of Greater Seattle
Washington State China Relations Council
Wokai Seattle Chapter