EXPERT ADVISORY

Chinese President Xi Jinping plans to visit the U.S. later this month. Experts at the University of Michigan can discuss the political, economic and legal aspects of his trip. They include:

Mary Gallagher, associate professor of political science and director of the Lieberthal-Rogel Center for Chinese Studies, can discuss the politics of Xi’s visit.

“Xi Jinping’s visit to the U.S. is likely to be overshadowed by the volatility in the Chinese stock market and the slowing of the Chinese economy,” she said. “His decision to launch an unprecedented anti-corruption campaign just as difficult economic reforms launched was a mistake. The campaign has paralyzed the government while opposition to reform has grown stronger as the economy has declined.

“Xi’s visit to the U.S. comes just after his retrograde military parade in Beijing to mark the end of WWII and a few months after China’s victory in forming a new international institution, the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, despite U.S. opposition, ” she said. “While Xi has many challenges at home, he will still use this opportunity to portray China as Asia’s natural hegemon.”

Contact: 734-615-9154, metg@umich.edu

Linda Y.C. Lim, professor of strategy at the Ross School of Business, is interested in U.S.-China trade relations, the need for domestic economic and financial reforms, and China’s changing economic role in the world.

“Xi’s visit is a good opportunity for the U.S. and China to discuss their mutual interest in ensuring a stable global economy,” she said. “But efforts to stabilize the Chinese economy so it can reach its full growth potential are largely an internal domestic policy issue for China, in which the U.S. cannot have much input. I don’t think the U.S. president or presidential candidates will accept any policy advice from China, so they should not expect China to accept their advice either.”

Contact: 734-763-0290, lylim@umich.edu

John Ciorciari, assistant professor of public policy at the Ford School, can discuss maritime tensions between China and neighboring countries over contested islands. Ciorciari’s interests include international law, politics and international finance. His current focus is primarily on the Asia-Pacific region, foreign policy strategies, human rights and the reform of international economic institutions.

Contact: 734-615-6947, johncior@umich.edu

Nicholas Calcina Howson, professor of law, acts regularly as a Chinese law expert or party advocate in U.S. and international litigations and/or U.S. government enforcement actions. Howson is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations in New York City and a designated foreign arbitrator for both the China International Economic and Trade Arbitration Commission in Beijing and the Shanghai International Economic and Trade Arbitration Commission.

Contact: 734-615-2892, nhowson@umich.edu