JCC

Hi delegates! Today I want to discuss a somewhat less glamorous facet of the US-China relationship: climate change. Although climate change is not as combative as a topic as, for example, trade wars or militaristic posturing, it is still a critical issue that is sure to see much increased attention in the upcoming years. China is the world's largest total carbon dioxide emissions producer, but the United States is second (by a fairly significant margin). And while the process hasn't been completely smooth, recent cooperation between these two superproducers paved the way to new agreements that seemed to be a promising step in cutting carbon emissions. However, as the Trump Administration took office, the US President announced that the United States would exit the 2015 Paris Protocol and his intent to undo many of Obama’s climate control initiatives, framing the agreement as undermining and damaging to the US economy. Trump’s position actually bears certain similarities t...

Hello delegates! Nuclear weapons are a vital issue in US-China relations, and so it is important to understand the current nuclear situation. A recently leaked draft of the Trump Administration's Nuclear Posture Review outlines the American position on nuclear weapons. While only a draft of the official policy, the paper calls for an expansion of the nuclear weapons program, with a particular emphasis on the development of low-yield nuclear weapons. Strikingly, the paper leaves open the avenue of nuclear retaliation for major non-nuclear attacks. Similarly, China recently released a military paper outlining their plans for their nuclear weapons program. This paper states that in response to the nuclear strategies of the US and Russia, China must strengthen its nuclear capabilities for the purposes of deterrence and retaliation. It specifically points to Russia's goal to have 90% of its arsenal consist of advanced nuclear armaments by 2021 and the US Congressional Budget O...

Hello delegates! While internal politics can be extremely interesting to focus on, you must keep in mind that there is a larger geo-political framework that effects US-China relations. Through this blog post, I want to highlight popular opinions that the US is losing critical influence in the region to China. America’s historically steadfast allies in modern times—Australia, Japan and South Korea—are losing faith in America’s ability and willingness to be a crucial actor in the politics of the region. According to a Gallup poll , after a year into Donald Trump’s presidency the image of US leadership in the world has dropped to a new low (median approval of US leadership across 134 countries and areas stands at 30%). Although no drastic material changes in military assets or economic policies have taken place in the last year, President Trump’s “America First” rhetoric has seem to have had a deep and lasting effect on the perception of America in the region. This can s...

Hi Delegates, I wanted to give you some guidance on position paper writing for JCC. We purposely left the position paper guidelines vague to give you a taste of what it will be like to be in a committee like JCC - everchanging, fast, unexpected, and open-ended. That being said, the following should help you as you finish up your papers: Use the regular BMUN position paper guidelines as a base Talk about past actions taken (be it by your character or by the country you're a part of) Talk about what you believe are the most important issues to tackle (be it domestically or internationally) and why Talk about your proposed solutions to those issues, and how you would go about attending to them Finally, questions to consider - I'd like you to brainstorm some future predicaments that might come your way in committee; ie: what are some future problems that US/China might have to deal with? I hope this helped add some color, and we're all excited to see your positio...

Hi delegates! As we come closer to conference, it is important to keep in mind that we cannot separate economics from politics. For this blog post, I want to provide an overview of the Chinese economy - particularly the challenges for future economic growth. Although the U.S. is currently the world's largest economy, a new study by PriceWaterhouse Coopers forecasts that China and India will be the two largest economies in the world by 2050. China was the world's largest economy in 1820 and is the second largest economy today (the largest if measured in PPP terms). Since 2010, the PRC is the world's largest exporter and the second largest importer of merchandise goods. It has experienced an average GDP growth of close to 10% per year until 2014. By 2030, China is expected to retake its place as the largest economy in the world. The facts above, however, paint a rosy picture of the Chinese economy. Debt Sustainability China's addiction to debt has significan...

Hi delegates! The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is arguably Beijing's most ambitious economic and diplomatic since the founding of the People's Republic of China. This $1 trillion plan involves massive infrastructure projects that span more than 60 countries. It has the potential to be the world's largest platform for regional collaboration.  The BRI refers to the Silk Road Economic Belt and 21st Century Maritime Silk Road. Unveiled in 2013 as "One Belt, One Road" (OBOR), the BRI is President Xi Jinping's flagship foreign policy. Here are some articles on the BRI that may be helpful for your research: What is China's belt and road initiative? | The Economist One Belt, One Road, and One Big Competition | The Diplomat Belt and Road: China's Strategy To Capture Supply Chains From Guangzhou To Greece | Forbes 'One Belt and One Road': Connecting China and the World | McKinsey&Company The AIIB and the 'On...