On the Research on China by American Think Tanks - Taking the Brookings Institution as an Example

A think tank, also known as an intellectual repository or a brain bank, is simply a "warehouse" that stores and provides ideas. American think tanks have a significant influence on the policy-making of the government. For instance, "K Street in Washington is a major birthplace for domestic and foreign policy concepts in the United States." In the American decision-making system, political parties are the "limbs", and intellectuals are the "heart". "The government, Congress, courts, and political parties are to a considerable extent influenced by the major think tanks." This article aims to analyze the activities of the Brookings Institution in the field of China studies, explain the current situation and characteristics of the Brookings Institution's China research, and understand its position and role in the US policy-making regarding China and in Sino-US exchanges.

I.China Studies by American Think Tanks

1. Brief Historical Overview - Mainly on the Study of Contemporary China

The study of contemporary China in the United States has gone through several stages. The first stage was in the 1960s, when there was a major upsurge in research on China by American think tanks. The main topics of this period's research were the nature of the new Communist regime in China and its impact on Chinese society. The second stage was in the 1970s, when research on China saw significant development. The research team grew larger, specialized research institutions increased, and the main focus was on the "Cultural Revolution" in China. The third stage was in the 1980s, when China under the reform and opening-up policy attracted great interest from the American academic and political circles. The research focus shifted to China's reform and opening-up, and at the same time, various major think tanks also paid attention to the establishment of research institutions on China-related issues. The fourth stage was in the 1990s. During this period, the study of China entered a relatively mature stage. Many scholars gradually became experts on China after long-term contact and research with China, and the research on China became increasingly comprehensive. Not only did the research on China's politics and economy become increasingly mature, but it also delved into local politics, economy, and social conditions.

2.The current state of research on China

(1)The number of "China experts" is increasing, and most of them are former government officials with rich knowledge of China. Currently, most of the scholars in American think tanks who conduct research on China are former government officials, although most of them are Americans. However, through long-term exchanges with China, they have mastered Chinese. For instance, the first director of the China research program at the Brookings Institution, Bede, has a 27-year diplomatic career. Most of the time, he was stationed in China and other East Asian countries. It can be said that he has visited all the key government departments related to China business and has mastered important information in the field of China studies.

(2) Chinese scholars have become an important force in the field of Chinese studies. Those Chinese scholars who arrived in the United States in the 1980s began to make their mark in the 1990s after obtaining doctoral degrees in the US. The rise of Chinese scholars in the US has brought a certain degree of richness and depth to the research on China issues in the US. These scholars not only received education in research methods and other aspects in the US, learned advanced research theories and mastered more scientific research methods, but also, during their growth and education in China, they have had a deeper understanding of China than American scholars.

(3) The research is highly detailed regarding China. American think tank scholars attach great importance to scientific research methods and the significance of research data to research conclusions. For instance, John Thornton, from the Brookings Institution's John Thornton Center for China Studies, has been invited to visit China several times. His research topic was who would become the next generation of leaders in China. In his representative work, "The Next Generation of Leaders", Li Cheng used a large amount of survey data to calculate the situations of previous generations of Chinese leaders and thereby reached the final conclusion. Besides obtaining research information from official channels, American scholars also attach importance to obtaining information from the public. Moreover, they emphasize multi-channel research. For example, the Asia-Pacific Research Center at Stanford University sought a starting point from Chinese military-themed TV dramas to study the modernization of the Chinese military.

II.The Brookings Institution's Research on China

1. Introduction to The Brookings Institution

The Brookings Institution is one of the largest and most historically significant mainstream think tanks in Washington and throughout the United States. It is a renowned public policy research institution in the United States. Its founder, Robert Brookings, adhered to the principles of "quality, independence, and influence", and was known for supporting liberal viewpoints. He believed in "studying issues with accuracy, fairness, and without any ideological bias" and aimed to provide feasible solutions to current urgent problems both domestically and internationally, in order to improve American research institutions and enhance the quality of public diplomacy. 

The research conducted by the Brookings Institution is carried out through the establishment of research projects, the establishment of research institutes, and the establishment of research centers. It has the Economic Studies Institute, the Foreign Policy Institute, the Global Economy and Development Institute, the Governance Studies Institute, and the Metropolitan Policy Program; the Brown Center on Education Policy, the Center for Northeast Asian Policy Studies, the Center on Children and Families, the Center on Social and Economic Dynamics, the Center on The United States and Europe, the Engelberg Centre For Health Care Reform, the John L. Thornton China Centre, the Saban Center For Middle East Policy, the Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center, and the Wolfensohn Center for Development.

2.The research institution within the Brookings Institution that focuses on China - the John S. Tan China Center - takes the lead in conducting research on China.

(1)Economic Research Institute. The Brookings Economic Research Institute mainly conducts research on current or future economic policies in the United States and economic development in developing regions, including economic project topics such as the Asian financial crisis, technological policies, globalization, company downsizing, social insurance, urban diseases, etc.; the purpose of the research is to promote understanding of economic operations and thereby better promote economic development. In the research on China issues, the Economic Research Institute mainly focuses on the research of the Chinese economy and the Asian economy. 

(2)The Institute for Foreign Policy Studies - The John Thornton China Center leads the research on China. The Institute for Foreign Policy Studies mainly focuses on international issues. It conducts research on the most pressing international problems faced by the United States, such as terrorism, India, China, North Korea issues, Japan, Iran, the changing Europe, and the relations between the United States and these countries. It also provides feasible solutions to better understand the development of world affairs and the existing challenges in the international community, and to influence and promote the domestic and foreign policies of the United States that contribute to sustainable peace, security, and prosperity in the world. 

In recent years, China and India, which have experienced rapid development, have become the main focus of this institute's research. The research projects of the Institute for Foreign Policy are mainly carried out through its affiliated research centers. The Northeast Asia Policy Research Center was established in 1998. Its main focus is on researching political, economic and security issues in the Northeast Asia region, assisting governments in formulating and improving Northeast Asia policies, and accepting visiting scholars from China, Japan, Russia, South Korea, Taiwan and other places to participate in its Northeast Asia research projects. The research results are made public in the form of working papers, online publications, congressional testimonies, books, etc. The John Thornton China Center was established in 2006 and its headquarters is located in Washington. The John Thornton China Center conducts timely and independent research on China, aiming to conduct collaborative research with Chinese researchers on the most immediate challenges currently faced by China, in order to seek better methods for addressing these challenges, provide suggestions for policy-making, and help Chinese and American leaders better confront and handle important long-term international challenges. It is dedicated to researching cutting-edge studies, analysis reports, dialogues, and related publications related to China's rise. 

Currently, the main focus of its research lies in the following areas: China's economy and trade, including the economic relations between China and the United States, China's trade and investment policies, China's efforts in intellectual property protection, China's position in regional and international economic systems, and the global impact of China's rapid economic development; research on domestic challenges in China, including the management of the Chinese state and regional affairs, the issue of political leadership, fiscal reform and state-owned enterprise reform, medical policies, urbanization issues, and environmental sustainable development issues; research on China's foreign policy, as well as research on China's energy policy, etc. Furthermore, the Brookings-Tsinghua Center, established in 2007, has facilitated joint and independent research by Chinese and American scholars on economic and social issues in China's development.

3. Scholars conducting research in China

The scholars conducting research on China at the Brookings Institution mainly work at the John S. Tan China Center. The Chinese research scholars at the China Center are led by John S. Tan, and the other scholars include: 

(1)Erica S. Downs. Her main areas of expertise include China's energy and foreign policy, China's institutional transformation and the relationship between the government and business in the energy sector. From 2003 to 2005, she worked as an analyst at the Central Intelligence Agency of the United States. From 1999 to 2000, she was a lecturer at the Beijing Foreign Studies University. In 1998, she served as a researcher at the RAND Corporation. 

(2)Cheng Li. Chinese-American. Specializes in the transformation of Chinese political leaders, Chinese technological development, and Sino-US relations. Currently serves as the director of the National Committee on Sino-US Relations. From 2002 to 2003, he was a research fellow at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars. From 2001 to 2002, he was the executive director of the Government Department at Hamilton College. In the early years, he was a research fellow at the Institute of World Affairs. 

(3)Kenneth G. Lieberthal. Specializes in China studies, U.S.-China relations, climate change, energy security, Southeast Asia and Asian studies. http://www.brookings.edu/experts/ahmeda.aspx. Former Special Assistant to the Chairman for National Security Affairs and Senior Director of the Asia Division of the National Security Council. 

(4)Wing Thye Woo. His main research fields include East Asian economy (mainly China and Indonesia), international financial structure, economic growth, and exchange rate economics. From 2002 to 2005, he served as a special advisor for East Asian economies in the United Nations Millennium Project. From 1997 to 1998, he held the position of special advisor at the US Department of the Treasury. In 1994, he was an advisor to the Ministry of Finance of China. 

(5)Geng Xiao. Chinese-American. Specializes in research on China's economy, production growth, and corporate performance, financial sector reforms and development, macroeconomic policies and exchange rates, institutional and system changes. From 1992 to 2007, he served as a lecturer, assistant professor, and economics associate professor at the University of Hong Kong. From 2004 to 2007, he was a professor of economics at Huazhong University of Science and Technology. From 2005 to 2006, he was a visiting scholar at the Asian Development Bank Institute. From 2000 to 2003, he was an advisor and director of research at the Securities and Futures Commission. From 1996 to 2000, he was a visiting scholar and associate professor at the International Development Institute of Harvard University. From 1991 to 1992, he was an advisor and consultant for the Social Economic Reform Department of the World Bank. 

The scholars of China studies at the Brookings Institution, like those from other think tanks, are mostly experts on China and can speak fluent Chinese. Some, such as Wing Thye Woo, are not only proficient in Chinese but also in Indonesian, Malay, Cantonese and Taiwanese dialects. Most of the scholars have first-hand knowledge of China studies and have studied or taught at Chinese universities, for instance, Li Cheng and Xiao Geng. Almost all of the scholars have also worked in US government agencies and have led China-related affairs in their respective departments. These scholars have been engaged in primary research on China for a long time and possess rich research experience and data.

4.Research Methods

The research conducted by the Brookings Institution has its own unique features. For instance, in the field of China-related studies, the John Thornton Center for Chinese Studies frequently holds public discussions on research projects, gathering senior officials and experts from both China and the United States in Washington to discuss policy issues and topics related to China's challenges. At the same time, the center also hosts roundtable meetings and seminars to engage in relevant discussions with representatives of the Chinese government, Chinese think tank personnel, and representatives of the US government, or holds irregular academic conferences in the United States or China to discuss all issues related to China. The research results are disseminated through publication in Brookings Institution research reports, book publishing, or online publication, etc., to obtain public feedback. The Northeast Asia Policy Research Center holds a Northeast Asia roundtable meeting once a month and a Northeast Asia Policy Forum once a year, discussing issues such as the role of South Korea in Northeast Asia, cross-strait relations, Japan's political and economic reforms, and how to integrate China into the regional and global economy, which has a significant influence.

III.Conclusion

Think tanks are a unique political phenomenon in the United States. They have a close relationship with the government, and their research results are often utilized by the government, thereby influencing its decision-making. The development of think tanks is inseparable from the democracy and diversity of American society. In the United States, the political and academic fields are largely distinct. Most government officials have been members of think tanks, and think tanks are also a "reservoir" for government officials. They use the research results they possess to make decisions both externally and internally. It can be said that think tanks in the United States influence American and international relations. The China studies of American think tanks play an important role in the development of Sino-US relations and even the relations between China and other countries in the world. Therefore, further exploration of the research on China issues by American think tanks is very important. At the same time, the discussion of the research on China issues by American think tanks can also enable us to reflect on China's current research on international relations issues and has significant reference value for our research on Chinese think tanks. (Author: Liu Qing, School of Law, Guangdong University of Foreign Studies)

(AI translation)