Asia Policy Debate 2008: The Next President's Strategy for Engagement

Over 300 people, representatives from over 12 embassies, and over 40 news outlets packed the National Press Club on September 22, 2008, for Asia Policy Debate 2008, as senior foreign policy advisors to presidential candidates John McCain and Barack Obama debated U.S. policy in Asia.

Michael J. Green and Daniel A. Blumenthal represented McCain/Palin and Ambassador Robert S. Gelbard and Frank Jannuzi represented Obama/Biden. Ambassador Thomas Pickering, NBR senior advisor, moderated the debate, and Lori Matsukawa, co-anchor of Seattle’s KING 5 News, served as the master of ceremonies.

Asia Policy Debate Transcript
Debate Agenda and Participant Bios
Asia Policy Debate in the News

Roy Kamphausen wrote about the Asia Policy Debate as a guest blogger on the State Department’s Blog. Read his posts below:

• China’s rise and the future of U.S-China Relations
• How will the next U.S. Administration engage Afghanistan and Pakistan?
• U.S.-South Korea trade pact? NBR’s Kamphausen wants to know what you think

NBR is grateful to the Henry M. Jackson Foundation, The Russell Family Foundation, Legatum Institute, Chevron, and Motorola for their support.

Asia Policy Debate Video

English Language Media Coverage

• Obama and McCain Campaigns Agree on China Policy (New America Media 9/24/08)
• Both U.S. Presidential Candidates “Profoundly Shaped” by Asia (Newsblaze 9/25/08)
• US Presidential advisors debate Asian foreign policy (Radio Australia 9/25/08)
• China PM sees Good Ties with Next US President (Javno.com 9/24/08)
• McCain, Obama Advisors Face Off on Foreign Policy (Epoch Times 9/23/08)
• McCain supports WHA bid: advisor (Taipei Times 9/24/08)
• US policy shifts seen in Asia under new president (AFP 10/5/08)
• Information Overload (Tufts University – The Fletcher School Blog 9/26/08)
• Asia Policy Debate 2008 (Foreign Policy Association Blog 9/12/08)
• Emerging Asian Power: A Diplomatic Challenge (Congressional Quarterly 10/19/08)

Chinese Language Media Coverage

• 奥巴马麦凯恩同时强调维持台海现状 (Sina News 9/24/08)
• 與中國交往 馬、歐主張相同 (World Journal 9/23/08)
• 美国两党均表示"开放"中国主权基金投资担忧中国成长(ifeng.com 9/24/08)
• 麦奥两阵营外交智囊讨论对华政策 (Voice of America 9/23/08)

Japanese Language Media Coverage

• 【米大統領選】対日政策などを討論　両候補の外交顧問 (MSN/Sankei 9/23/08)
• 米大統領選、アジア政策で討論 日米関係の重要性強調 (Kyodo News 9/23/08)

Korean Language Media Coverage

• 북과 외교협상 우선” “압력 병행해야 (HanKyoreh 9/23/08)
• 오바마 - 매케인 TV토론 전초전’ 외교안보 참모 토론회 (Dong-A Ilbo 9/24/08)
• 美 대선후보 북핵문제 극명한 시각차 (Kyunghyang Shinmun 9/23/08)
• 매케인-오바마 브레인 한•미FTA, 북핵 `대리전` (JoongAng Daily 9/23/08)

(Left to right) Frank Jannuzi, Robert Gelbard, Michael Green, and Daniel Blumenthal

Asia Policy Debate participants: (left to right) Frank Jannuzi, Robert Gelbard, Thomas Pickering, Michael Green, Lori Matsukawa, and Daniel Blumenthal