The China Commission's Report

The U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission late last year released its annual report to Congress. ChinaTalk welcomes two commissioners to the pod to discuss.

Before joining the Hoover Institution, Mike Kuiken spent two decades on the Hill including as the senior national security advisor for Senator Schumer and as a PSM on the Senate Armed Services Committee. He was appointed to the commission by Leader Schumer. Leland Miller, the co-founder and CEO of China Beige Book, was appointed by Speaker Mike Johnson.

We get into…

• What the U.S.-China Commission does, and why “alligators closest to the boat” explains Congress’s blind spots,

• The case for an economic statecraft agency, and reorganization lessons from post-9/11 sanctions reform,

• The year supply chains became sexy — and the best-case scenario for responding to chokepoints like rare earths and pharmaceuticals,

• Xi’s unresponsiveness to consumer spending concerns, and the military-tech developments he’s targeting instead,

• The quantum software gap, synthetic biology in space, and Congress’s role in competing with China.

Listen now on your favorite podcast app.

Fishbowl Politics

Jordan Schneider: The U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission is out! Christmas has come early for U.S.-China policy nerds. Mike, what is the U.S.-China Commission?

Mike Kuiken: Next year marks the 25th anniversary of the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission. Congress created it around the same time it was debating China’s accession to the World Trade Organization and the establishment of Permanent Normal Trade Relations. Congress approved these measures, but wanted to closely monitor China. The commission was created to keep tabs on both China and the executive branch as events unfolded. That’s our origin story.

Every year, we conduct a series of hearings — usually six — always co-chaired by a Republican and a Democrat in a bipartisan fashion. Then we publish an annual report with recommendations. We also engage regularly with the executive branch, including conversations with figures like Jamison Greer, Undersecretary of Commerce for Industry and Security Jeffrey Kessler, and military leaders. Earlier this year, we met with General Stephen D. Sklenka, among others.

Everyone on the commission brings experience from the Hill, the security space, or the economic policy, like Leland. It’s a fascinating mix of backgrounds, and we have a great team. We produce an 800-page report every year, which dives into a variety of issues. It is the definitive geek-out-on-China document. Our staff does ...