Prof. Dr. William C. Kirby
10. November at 18:00
ZHG 001
Why are we so afraid of China?
by Prof. Dr. William C. Kirby
Abstract: Why are we so afraid of China? It is a simple question, but one that now shapes almost every aspect of American and indeed now European policy. Washington has imposed sweeping export controls, blacklisted hundreds of Chinese companies, restricted investment, and scrutinized universities. Europe is contemplating its own restriction on business with China. Why? What changed? How did a country once viewed as America’s and Europe’s partner become its most formidable rival?
My central argument is straightforward. The source of American and European anxiety is not simply China’s size, its political system, or its military ambitions. Rather, it is China’s remarkable success in building indigenous technological capabilities across multiple strategic industries simultaneously. We are confronting a competitor that has evolved from assembling the world’s products to inventing them. Understanding how that transformation occurred, and what it means for our collective future, is the central topic of this talk.
Bio:
William C. Kirby is T. M. Chang Professor of China Studies at Harvard University and Spangler Family Professor of Business Administration at the Harvard Business School. He is a Harvard University Distinguished Service Professor. He serves as Chairman of the Harvard China Fund, the University’s academic venture fund for China, and Faculty Chair of the Harvard Center Shanghai, Harvard’s first University-wide center located outside the United States.