At the very moment when technological, climatic, and social change have begun to accelerate at an unprecedented rate, the United States appears to have relinquished its aspirations to global leadership. China and Europe are faced with multiple dilemmas in determining how to respond to these changes. They will need to demonstrate both political and moral leadership. This could lead to unusual alliances as Europe looks elsewhere for partnerships and China seeks to consolidate its global role. How China and Europe develop their relationship will be a critical factor in shaping the new world order.
Yan Xuetong, one of China’s leading intellectuals with an international reputation, has been writing about the role of leadership and the nature of the global order for decades. He is known for combining realism with a moral outlook, often revisiting ancient Chinese political thinkers to provide insightful interpretations of contemporary events. He will address these questions in conversation with Niccolò Milanese and IWM Permanent Fellow Ivan Vejvoda.
Yan Xuetong is a distinguished Professor and Honorary Dean of the Institute of International Relations of Tsinghua University, Beijing. In 2008, he was named one of the Top 100 Global Thinkers by Foreign Policy and from 2014 to 2019, he was the only political science scholar cited by Elsevier. Among his widely translated publications are two books in English: Ancient Chinese Thought, Modern Chinese Power (2011) and Leadership and the Rise of Great Powers (2019), both published by Princeton University Press. He is the editor of Essence of Interstate Leadership (Bristol University Press, 2023).
Niccolò Milanese is Scientific Director of the Berggruen Institute Europe in Venice, and director of European Alternatives. He is a former Europe's Futures Fellow.
Ivan Vejvoda is IWM Permanent Fellow and Head of Europe's Futures.
