Course Content and Objectives

The US-China bilateral relationship is in its worst shape since the two nations normalized diplomatic relations in 1979. The deterioration in Sino-American relations, and the intensely competitive rivalry that has developed, have important implications for the rest of the world, including the business sector. This course has three principal goals: (i) to leave students with a significantly better understanding of this most consequential bilateral relationship, and of the multiple dimensions of the rivalry; (ii) to expose students to a range of perspectives, encouraging them to challenge and refine their own; and (iii) to engage students in creative ideation toward progress—as they define that—in some aspect of the US-China relationship.

Among the rivalry dimensions on which class sessions will focus are the competitions (i) of economies and political systems; (ii) for national security; (iii) for technology leadership; and (iv) for “global leadership” (as each principal conceives it). The course will be reading- and discussion-intensive. It will not be case-based. It will emphasize practitioner-oriented readings (e.g. articles from Foreign Affairs and Foreign Policy; Council on Foreign Relations, Brookings and Belfer Center reports; book chapters; speeches, transcripts and official policy statements; and a few articles from scholarly journals). The course will also feature several guest speakers (a small number of whom may need to be scheduled outside class hours to accommodate speaker schedules/time zones). Assigned readings and guest speakers will represent a diversity of views. The course aims to help students further refine the substantive world views they will have been developing at HBS, while enhancing their capacities for empathy and perspective-taking.

The final paper assignment may (but need not) be completed in teams of two. The assignment will include an opportunity for students to creatively ideate promising ideas for progress in an aspect of the US-China rivalry that interests them. Students will likely find that the course, and the final assignment, will afford them an opportunity to productively draw on concepts and frameworks from multiple HBS courses they will have taken.

A broad range of students should find this seminar interesting and relevant. Among them: those for whom the subject matter is intrinsically fascinating; those who expect that Sino-American geopolitics may significantly impact the broad context of their professional lives; and those whose careers (e.g. in strategy consulting, corporate leadership, equity investing) may be still more directly shaped by this pivotal bilateral relationship.

Course Administration and Grading

Students will be graded based on the following: (i) 40% on class participation; (ii) 20% on short-answer assignments submitted prior to class meetings; and (iii) 40% on the final paper.

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