Strength or Fragility? What China’s Future Means for the World

Event Overview 

The World Affairs Council of Atlanta will host a free, public virtual dialogue with Ker Gibbs, a leading expert on U.S.–China relations, global trade, and China’s political economy. Drawing on his recent book The Fragile Dragon: Trade, Trump, and China’s Vulnerabilities, Gibbs will offer a nuanced assessment of China’s projected power and underlying economic, demographic, and political challenges. The conversation will explore how escalating U.S.–China tensions, trade policy shifts, and global decoupling pressures have reshaped China’s relationship with the world—and what these changes mean for international stability, global commerce, and the future of engagement with China. 

Agenda

• China’s economic strengths versus its structural challenges

• Lessons from the U.S.–China trade war and its aftermath

• Political centralization and implications for innovation and growth

• Impacts on global markets, supply chains, and international cooperation

• What policymakers, business leaders, students, and citizens should understand about China’s next chapter

Distinguished Speaker 

Ker Gibbs is Executive‑in‑Residence with the China Business Studies Initiative at the University of San Francisco and a leading expert on U.S.–China relations, global trade, and China’s political economy. He previously served as President of the American Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai, working closely with senior U.S. and Chinese officials during periods of heightened trade and political tension. His career spans more than three decades across Asia and Silicon Valley, including senior roles with the Boston Consulting Group, Apple, Disney, and HSBC. Gibbs is the author of The Fragile Dragon: Trade, Trump, and China’s Vulnerabilities and a frequent commentator on China and global affairs in major U.S. and international media. 

Moderator 

Rickey Bevington 

President, World Affairs Council of Atlanta