Interview with former US diplomat Daniel Kritenbrink on pragmatic US-China relations.

2 days ago7 min read

In a conversation that cuts to the heart of contemporary geopolitics, former U. S.diplomat Daniel J. Kritenbrink offers a masterclass in the delicate art of statecraft, framing the Washington-Beijing dynamic not as a monolithic struggle but as a multifaceted relationship defined by layers of cooperation, competition, and outright rivalry.With a diplomatic career spanning three decades, including pivotal postings in China and Japan and culminating in his role as Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, Kritenbrink brings a practitioner’s granular understanding to a debate often dominated by hawkish rhetoric or naive optimism. His analysis, grounded in the long view of history, suggests that both superpowers are currently navigating a perilous inflection point, reminiscent in structural terms of the early Cold War era, yet uniquely complicated by deep economic interdependence and shared transnational threats like climate change and pandemic preparedness.The pragmatic approach he advocates is less a grand strategy and more a disciplined, day-to-day calibration—a conscious effort to manage inevitable friction in areas like advanced technology and regional security, while deliberately carving out and insulating channels for collaboration on global public goods. This is not appeasement; it is a hard-nosed recognition that a relationship this consequential cannot be reduced to a binary.The risks of miscalculation, particularly in the Taiwan Strait or the South China Sea, loom large, and Kritenbrink’s experience as Ambassador to Vietnam underscores the critical importance of U. S.engagement with Southeast Asian nations who refuse to be forced into a binary choice. The subtext of his argument is a warning against the domestic political forces in both capitals that benefit from simplified, adversarial narratives, forces that could easily derail the careful, bureaucratic work of crisis communication and guardrail establishment. Ultimately, his perspective challenges policymakers to weigh the long-term costs of confrontation against the tangible, if limited, benefits of coexistence, advocating for a statecraft that is as nuanced and complex as the relationship itself—a task requiring strategic patience, clear-eyed dialogue, and a steadfast commitment to national interests defined with wisdom rather than fear.

#US-China relations

#Daniel Kritenbrink

#diplomacy

#pragmatism

#foreign policy

#interview

#featured