Furman’s China Series
U.S.-China Relations:
What Do New Developments Mean for South Carolina?
A Conversation with
Ambassador Daniel Kritenbrink and Professor Kate Kaup
PRESENTED BY FURMAN’S DEPARTMENTS OF ASIAN STUDIES AND POLITICS & INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS AND THE NATIONAL COMMITTEE ON U.S.-CHINA RELATIONS WITH SUPPORT FROM THE RILEY INSTITUTE
September 18 | 7:00-8:15 p.m. | Younts Conference Center
As tensions in the U.S.-China relationship continue to reshape the geopolitical landscape, their impacts are increasingly felt at the local level—including across South Carolina. In this timely public conversation, Ambassador Daniel Kritenbrink, former assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs, joined Dr. Kate Kaup, James B. Duke Professor of Asian Studies and Politics and International Affairs at Furman University, for a wide-ranging discussion on the future of the world’s most consequential bilateral relationship and what it means for the Palmetto State.
The dialogue explored issues of national security, trade, human rights, and economic interdependence, and addressed how policy decisions happening in Beijing and Washington, D.C., impact students, business leaders, and everyday Americans. The speakers examined the challenges of rightsizing the “China risk,” the role of education and immigration policy in shaping bilateral ties, and the ways geopolitical tensions are affecting Asian American and Pacific Islander communities in the United States. Together, Ambassador Kritenbrink and Professor Kaup considered the opportunities, challenges, and complexities that lie ahead for South Carolina and the broader U.S.-China relationship.
Event Details
- Thursday, September 18, 2025
- 7:00-8:15 p.m.
- Younts Conference Center
Ambassador Daniel Kritenbrink
Ambassador Daniel Kritenbrink is a partner at the Asia Group. He previously served as assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs (2021–2025), U.S. ambassador to Vietnam (2017–2021), and senior director for Asian affairs at the National Security Council (2015–2017) among other diplomatic positions.
Dr. Kate Kaup
Dr. Kate Kaup is James B. Duke Professor of Asian Studies and Politics and International Affairs at Furman University. She serves as a director on the National Committee on U.S.-China Relations (NCUSCR) Board and is a NCUSCR public intellectuals fellow.
Our Sponsors
This event is presented by Furman’s Departments of Asian Studies and Politics & International Affairs and the National Committee on U.S.-China Relations (NCUSCR) with support from The Riley Institute.
The NCUSCR is the premier American nonpartisan, educational nonprofit 501(c)(3) focusing on the United States’ relationship with greater China, encouraging understanding of China and the United States between citizens of both countries. Its work is made possible through the exclusive support of U.S. entities and American citizens, including private and corporate foundations, corporations, the U.S. Department of State, members, and friends.
This program is one component of Subnational Connect, a Henry Luce Foundation-funded initiative from the NCUSCR that brings together important stakeholders within a specific region of the country to discuss the potential implications of the United States’ evolving relationships with China and Taiwan on the local economies and communities. For Subnational Connect—Southeast, NCUSCR is partnering with institutions in Chapel Hill, Charlotte, Greenville (SC), and Atlanta to host briefings, roundtable discussions, and public forums.
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