Dr. Adam Lowther presents “The Future of China-U.S. Relations: Panda Hugging or Panda Slugging,” during an event hosted last week by the SIUE Center for International Programs and the Department of Political Science.
Nearly 80 people turned out Thursday, packing the Hickory-Hackberry Room at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, to hear Dr. Adam Lowther discuss U.S. – China relations and policy. A research professor at the Air Force Research Institute at Maxwell Air Force Base in Alabama, Lowther is a renowned commentator on the topic.
Lowther hosted “The Future of China-U.S. Relations: Panda Hugging or Panda Slugging,” which was held in the Morris University Center, engaged faculty, staff and students. He has authored, edited or contributed to numerous peer-reviewed and public journal articles, and several books, including “Americans and Asymmetric Warfare: Lebanon, Somalia and Afghanistan,” and most recently, “The Asia Pacific Century: Challenges and Opportunities.” He also has penned numerous commentaries and editorials.
“What is going on in China right now is phenomenal,” Lowther said, noting large-scale development projects in major cities. The construction of sky scrapers to accommodate urban living and the emphasis placed on educational institutions to push technology learning are impressive.
During a recent trip to a fast-developing city in China outside Hong Kong, Lowther said, “There were these large cranes everywhere. I have never seen that in any U.S. city.” He noted upon counting new buildings and those under construction that “new housing would accommodate up to 70,000 people.”
Specializing in nuclear policy and airpower issues, Lowther has an active interest in China’s role in the world, and impact upon American defense and foreign policy. He discussed how the Chinese view copying software, DVDs, drones and other technology as an art, whereas the U.S. sees it as stealing. This issue alone has caused tension between the two countries.
He commented on the country’s steady rise to becoming a global leader, as well as its position as a leader in cyberspace. Mobilizing a “Great Firewall of China,” it is better suited to win at “informationized warfare,” because it is inexpensive and advantageous to train individuals in technology fields.
Lowther further explained that the U.S. is viewed by China as launching cyber warfare by introducing its internet freedom agenda under former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. China sees justification for its Cyber Attacks.
During the discussion, Lowther raised the following question: “How do we make the future into what we want it to be?”
He referenced that the Chinese and Western cultures view life and society much differently. While the U.S. places a large deal of emphasis on protecting the rights of individuals, the Chinese people collectively focus on societal preservation and promoting the greater good. He noted that while the U.S. allows people to patent their inventions and intellectual property, the Chinese view the property as belonging to the public at large. What the U.S. sees as stealing, the Chinese categorize as an art.
Paying special attention to diplomatic, informational, military and economic circumstances that influence the U.S.-Chinese relationship, Lowther said learning to appreciate and respect each other’s cultures will go far in promoting a positive, equitable exchange between the two countries.
The biggest challenges facing the Chinese, he said, are maintaining high economic growth rates, balancing the needs for employment, care for the elderly and the transition to a market economy for rural China. The Chinese military’s primary focus is figuring out how to employ the use of advanced technology that it acquires.
He noted the greatest issues facing the U.S. are whether it can retain its global status as a great power with a debt-to-gross domestic product (GDP) ratio exceeding 100 percent, if a redistribution of wealth via a large social welfare system will affect the nation’s global position as a leader, and if a rise in the welfare state nationally will negatively influence the nation’s status as a great power.
Lowther holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in international relations from Arizona State University, and a Ph.D. from the University of Alabama. He began his career in the U.S. Navy. The event was hosted by the SIUE Center for International Programs and the Department of Political Science.