
Innovation changes the game for China, US, the world, says Ang
Advertisement
SCMP Plus readers get early access to articles in the
Open Questions series . This article will be available to regular SCMP subscribers next week.
As a professor based in the United States, do you think there is a general decline in knowledge about China there? Can that be attributed to the sharp drop in Americans studying in China?
To put things in historical context, I would point to my 'grand teacher' Michel Oksenberg.
He served in the administration of US President Jimmy Carter, and was the expert behind the normalisation of relations between the US and China. In addition to his policy work, he was a passionate educator who nurtured generations of China experts. A majority of leading China scholars today are his disciples or grand-disciples – including myself.
Advertisement
I'm sharing this story to remind us of how deeply and purposefully the pioneers of US-China engagement had invested in helping American policymakers and the public understand China. They went to great lengths to build up a community of expertise.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


South China Morning Post
3 hours ago
- South China Morning Post
Groups seek 30% pay rise for Hong Kong domestic helpers to HK$6,500 a month
A coalition of domestic worker unions has demanded an immediate 30 per cent pay rise for Hong Kong's 370,000 helpers to HK$6,500 (US$833) a month and for their food subsidy to be doubled. Advertisement The Hong Kong Federation of Asian Domestic Workers Unions on Sunday blamed current government policy for having left many helpers in a 'hungry and malnourished' condition. Federation representatives raised the demands at a meeting with Labour Department officials. 'The value of our work and our contribution to the economy has to be reflected in our wages,' federation chairwoman Phobsuk Gasing said. 'So many women in Hong Kong are able to pursue their careers because we take responsibility for household duties and care work. Inflation affects our families too, and token adjustments to the [minimum wage] are insulting. 'It is basically like almsgiving.' Advertisement The minimum wage for foreign domestic helpers was raised to HK$4,990 a month last year, up from HK$4,870. Employers must provide their helpers with free food or they can choose to pay an allowance of not less than HK$1,236 a month instead.


South China Morning Post
7 hours ago
- South China Morning Post
Hong Kong leader John Lee in safety pledge over bottled water deals
Hong Kong leader John Lee Ka-chiu has pledged to maintain safety as he weighed in on a deal to buy mainland Chinese brands of bottled water for some government offices that will save taxpayers HK$16 million a year. Advertisement Lee also said on Sunday that water samples would be checked regularly and the government would cancel the contracts if standards were not met. 'For drinking water, we attach much importance to safety. It is reflected in our tendering process,' he said. 'Anyone who places a bid must produce a certification of water quality issued by an independent laboratory. Our system also requires the supplier to submit certification from time to time, not only during the tendering process. 'We will also take water samples for regular checks. If we find that [the water quality] does not meet our standards, we can immediately end the contractual relationship with [the supplier].' Advertisement Lee said the government would not compromise on water quality and he was confident that the prevailing system had been effectively and stringently enforced.


South China Morning Post
10 hours ago
- South China Morning Post
Trump's Pakistan pivot redefines US-India dynamics: ‘no permanent friends'
An unexpected resurgence in ties between the United States and Pakistan amid Washington's simmering tensions with India has turned the tables in the dynamics between the three nations, according to observers. Hours after the announcement, the American leader revealed a 'massive' oil exploration deal with Pakistan, saying that some day, India might have to buy oil from Islamabad. Michael Kugelman, director of the Wilson Centre's South Asia Institute, said the tables had turned in the US-Pakistan-India triangle. US relations with Pakistan had experienced 'unexpected resurgence', Kugelman told This Week in Asia, adding that the sudden change signalled a serious challenge for New Delhi, given Washington and India had seen a deepening strategic partnership over the last two decades. 'There have been moments of crises, bumps on the road, but they have largely been surmountable, but in this case you are looking at a long period of a time, there have been repeated cases of US statements messaging actions that have concerned India a lot,' Kugelman said.