The University of Minnesota China Center and Global Minnesota hosted the 2026 CHINA Town Hall on April 7, welcoming students and community members to the University International Center for an evening of expert dialogue on the state of U.S.-China relations. The event was part of a nationwide program organized by the National Committee on United States-China Relations (NCUSCR), connecting audiences at over 77 venues across the country through a shared livestream and local discussions.
The national broadcast featured a conversation between two veteran diplomats—former Deputy Secretary of State Stephen Biegun and former U.S. Embassy Beijing Deputy Chief of Mission Sarah Beran—moderated by NCUSCR President Stephen Orlins. The discussion ranged widely across the current geopolitical landscape. On the Iran war, Beran noted that while the conflict runs counter to Chinese economic interests, Beijing has positioned itself to weather the fallout better than most. Looking ahead to a potential Trump-Xi summit, both guests offered measured expectations, suggesting the most likely outcome would be a trade agreement centered on large Chinese purchases of U.S. goods, while more complex issues in cyber, AI, and national security remain largely unresolved.
A recurring theme was the tension at the heart of current U.S. policy. Biegun drew a sharp distinction between the president and his own administration: "The president wants a deal with China. The Trump administration wants to deter China." This friction, both guests argued, has produced an unusually volatile policy environment. The conversation also addressed longer-term structural challenges—including how Western automakers' pursuit of Chinese market access helped fuel a Chinese EV industry that now poses a global competitive threat, and how U.S. reliance on Chinese critical minerals represents a national security vulnerability that will take a decade or more to meaningfully reduce.
Following the livestream, UMN Assistant Professor Kevin Luo led a local discussion, bringing his expertise in Chinese state capacity, authoritarianism, and contemporary politics in China and Taiwan to bear on the themes raised during the broadcast. Luo, who also directs the Minnesota Asian Political Development Lab, helped ground the conversation in an academic framework and connect global dynamics to local and regional perspectives.
The event was free and open to the campus and broader Twin Cities community.