In this Indiana Council on World Affairs Great Decisions 2026 program, Dr. Mary Gallagher and Dr. Yun Sun discuss U.S.-China relations and the major issues shaping one of the world’s most important bilateral relationships.

The discussion examines trade, tariffs, rare earth minerals, Taiwan, domestic politics, social media, and global power competition. A major point is that China has become much better prepared for trade conflict since the first Trump administration, especially by using rare earth minerals as leverage.

The speakers also discuss China’s domestic challenges, including weak consumer confidence, a struggling real estate market, and concerns about social stability.

The conversation turns to Taiwan and the risks of conflict, including how a crisis over Taiwan could disrupt global trade and harm China’s own economy. The speakers also address younger Americans’ views of China, including social media trends such as “China maxing,” while warning that social media often shows only part of Chinese life.

Key themes include:

• U.S.-China trade tensions
• Tariffs and rare earth minerals
• Taiwan and military risk
• China’s domestic economic challenges
• Global power competition
• Social media and public perceptions of China

Speakers: Dr. Mary Gallagher, Professor and Dean of Global Affairs, University of Notre Dame
Dr. Yun Sun, Senior Fellow and Director of the China Program, Stimson Center.

Presented by the Indiana Council on World Affairs as part of the Great Decisions 2026 series.

Learn more: IndianaWorld.org

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