Publication

This publication reflects on the annual meeting of China’s senior leaders at Beidaihe that took place in August 2018. Key insights include 1) that Chinese President Xi Jinping had the Chinese leadership embrace the tenants of his grand strategy and national priorities at the meeting, demonstrating his growing power; 2) the principles of China’s aggressive grand strategy — as agreed at the meeting — do not include a specific trade war policy, but nevertheless perceive trade war as an element of a US containment strategy to prevent Beijing’s rise; 3) while China will not attack the US, it would fight with all its means should its vital interests be threatened militarily, and more.