Can Free Speech on American Campuses Withstand Chinese Nationalism?
A ChinaFile Conversation
on May 25, 2017
Earlier this week, Kunming native Yang Shuping, a student at the University of Maryland, gave a commencement speech extolling the “fresh air” and “free speech” she experienced while studying in the United States. Video of her speech spread on the Internet, and Yang and her family found themselves under attack by fellow Chinese students in the U.S. and a chorus of critics on Chinese social media, who argued—at times viciously—that she had betrayed her country. Yang then apologized for the speech and asked for “forgiveness from the public.” Why was she attacked? What do her speech and the reaction it engendered reveal (or obscure) about the experiences of Chinese students on American campuses, and what do they portend for the future of academic freedom in the U.S.? To what extent is Chinese nationalism reshaping university life in America?
Joseph S. Nye, Jr.
on May 25, 2017
Joseph S. Nye, Jr., is University Distinguished Service Professor, and former Dean of the Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government. He received his Bachelor’s degree summa cum laude from Princeton University, won a Rhodes Scholarship to Oxford University, and earned a Ph.D. in Political Science from Harvard. He has served as Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs, Chair of the National Intelligence Council, and Deputy Under Secretary of State for Security Assistance, Science and Technology. His most recent books include The Power to Lead; The Future of Power; Presidential Leadership and the Creation of the American Era; and Is the American Century Over? Nye is a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the British Academy, and the American Academy of Diplomacy. In a recent survey of international relations scholars, he was ranked as the most influential scholar on American foreign policy, and in 2011 Foreign Policy named him one of the top 100 Global Thinkers.
South China Sea: U.S. Warship Challenges China’s Claims with First Operation under Trump
on May 25, 2017
A U.S. Navy destroyer has sailed close to a disputed South China Sea island controlled by China for the first time under U.S. President Donald Trump.
The China-Russia Summit Will Focus on North Korea – but It’s Really about Western Influence in the Region
on May 25, 2017
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi makes an official visit to Russia on Thursday and Friday for meetings with key officials, including his counterpart Sergey Lavrov. The timing, which coincides with the Nato and G7 summits of Western powers, underlines that Beijing and Moscow have an alternative cooperation agenda on multiple issues, including the Korean nuclear stand-off and the Syrian conflict.
China Throws out More Trade and Business Offers to Trump’s America
on May 25, 2017
A report issued by the Ministry of Commerce on Thursday said China may buy further goods from the U.S., including crude and refined oil products, cotton and machine tools.
China Has a Huge Debt Problem. How Bad Is It?
on May 25, 2017
Credit rating agency Moody’s downgraded China this week, warning that the country’s financial health is suffering from rising debt and slowing economic growth. It’s the first time the agency has cut China’s rating in nearly three decades.
Taiwan Simulates ‘Chinese Invasion’ during Military Exercise amid Growing Tensions with Beijing
on May 25, 2017
Military forces in Taiwan have today simulated a ‘Chinese invasion’ as part of live-fire war games amid rising tensions with Beijing.
Anti-Gay Faith-Based Groups in Taiwan Vow to Take Fight against Same-Sex Marriage to next Level
on May 25, 2017
On Wednesday afternoon, cheers rang out in the streets of Taipei as Taiwan’s top constitutional court ruled in favor of same-sex marriage, but not everyone present was so overjoyed. The ruling has left anti-gay groups on the island in shock, with one prominent activist likening the decision to the September 11th terror attacks of 2001.