On June 11, 2025, WSCRC hosted a book talk on Broken Engagement: Interviews with Those Who Have Made — and Remade — the U.S.’s Policy Toward China, featuring veteran journalist Bob Davis—former senior editor of The Wall Street Journal and co-author of Superpower Showdown. He was joined in the conversation by Ann Tyson, Beijing Bureau Chief at the Christian Science Monitor.
In his new e-book Davis offers a rare and insightful account of the evolution of U.S. policy toward China through, told through the words of those who have been directly involved in shaping it. Drawing on a wide range of interviews with senior officials, diplomats, policymakers, and advisors across six U.S. administrations from George H.W. Bush to Joe Biden, Davis pieces together a behind-the-scenes narrative of how the U.S.-China relationship has undergone a profound transformation over the past three decades—from a period of deepening engagement and economic cooperation to one increasingly defined by competition, distrust, and strategic rivalry.
During the discussion, Davis shared his motivation of writing the book and recounted a few compelling stories from his interviews. He explored why engagement is now often discussed as a failed strategy and reflected on which U.S. officials/administrations were most effective in managing China policy. Davis also noted a surprising common thread across administrations: the extent to which each grappled with the question of engagement with China. He concluded by offering his perspective on the potential outcome of the current U.S.-China trade war.