Exploring How Trade, Regulation, and Technology Are Redefining the U.S.–China Relationships

Description

Nearly a decade after the first wave of tariffs, the U.S.–China trade relationship remains one of deep interdependence and rising tension. What began as a dispute over trade imbalances and intellectual property has evolved into a far-reaching contest spanning technology, supply chains, and national security. This roundtable brings together trade lawyers, economists, and policy experts to unpack the shifting landscape of global commerce as both nations redefine their economic priorities. Panelists will explore how export controls, sanctions, and investment screening are changing the rules of international trade, what the decoupling of strategic industries means for global companies, and whether new frameworks for cooperation can emerge amid growing protectionism. Attendees will gain insight into how businesses, policymakers, and institutions can adapt to a fragmented trade environment—one where competition, security, and interdependence must coexist.

Speakers

Peter E. Jeydel

Partner, Troutman Pepper Locke

Reva Goujon

Director & Corporate Advisory, Rhodium Group

Daniel Crosby

Partner, King & Spalding

Timothy Stratford

Senior Counsel, Covington & Burling LLP

Stephen Kho

Partner, Akin Gump

Nicholas R. Lardy

Nonresident Senior Fellow, Peterson Institute for International Economics

Guided Questions

Timothy Stratford

Having advised multinational companies in China and served as Assistant USTR for China Affairs, what practical pathways do you see for rebuilding commercial trust and predictability between U.S. and Chinese regulators amid ongoing trade frictions?

Stephen Kho

As someone who has worked within the WTO framework and advised on international trade law, how has the U.S.–China trade conflict tested the multilateral trading system, and can the WTO still play a meaningful role in resolving these disputes?

Nicholas R. Lardy

You’ve spent decades analyzing the evolution of China’s economic system from market reform to the resurgence of state-led policy. How do you see the growing role of the state shaping China’s long-term competitiveness, and what implications does this have for U.S. trade and investment policy toward China?

Peter E. Jeydel

As trade and national security increasingly converge, how should global companies navigate the growing complexity of sanctions, export controls, and compliance expectations in a fragmented U.S.–China regulatory landscape?

Daniel Crosby

Given your deep experience in WTO and treaty-based market access, how sustainable do you think the current wave of “strategic decoupling” between the U.S. and China is under existing multilateral trade rules? Are we witnessing a redefinition of what’s permissible under WTO disciplines when national security becomes the dominant rationale for trade restrictions?

Reva Goujon

You’ve long analyzed how global businesses adapt to geopolitical disruption. How are multinational firms rethinking their China strategies amid rising U.S.–China trade friction and supply chain diversification, and do you see the emergence of a lasting “China plus one” operating model for global commerce?