Donald Gross Discusses China and U.S. Politics on Talk Back

Today on Talk Back we will be speaking with Donald Gross. Gross has an extensive foreign policy background, including but not limited to, working as the senior advisor to the Under Secretary for Arms Control and International Security Affairs in the Department of State from 1997-2000. He also worked as a senior policy advisor and counselor of the U.S. Arms Control and Disarmament Agency from 1994 to 1997 and director of legislative affairs at the National Security Council in the White House from 1993 to 1994.

Currently, Gross works as a senior associate of Pacific Forum CSIS (Center for Strategic and International Studies). His most recent work, The China Fallacy: How the U.S. Can Benefit from China's Rise and Prevent Another Cold War will be the focus of our conversation.

Gross has also recently written about the nominations of Chuck Hagel and John Kerry, for Secretary of Defense and Secretary of State respectively. In his article titled Kerry and Hagel Will Improve U.S. Relations With China published in the Huff Post Politics blog, Gross argues that "these crucial appointments make it far more likely the U.S. will seize the opportunity created by the emergence of China's new leadership to stabilize U.S.-China relations -- minimizes conflict, achieves greater mutually-beneficial Sino-American cooperation, and significantly expands trade and investment between the two countries.

The crux of Gross' arguments in both pieces is that the current American strategy of protectionist trade policies and military containment of China are wrong-headed. I would write what he thinks we should do instead, but you can just listen to today's show and find out for yourself.