The USA and China “are the 2 largest emitters of carbon on the earth,” mentioned Nicholas Burns, former U.S. ambassador to the Individuals’s Republic of China, at a latest MIT seminar. “We have to work with one another for the great of each of our international locations.”
Through the MITEI Presents: Advancing the Vitality Transition presentation, Burns gave perception into the evolving state of U.S.-China relations, its implications for the worldwide order, and its affect on world efforts to advance the power transition and deal with local weather change.
“We’re the 2 largest world economies,” mentioned Burns, who’s now the Goodman Professor of the Observe of Diplomacy and Worldwide Relations at Harvard College’s Kennedy College of Authorities. “These are the one two international locations that have an effect on all people else within the worldwide system due to our weight.”
The connection between the US and China may be summarized in three phrases, in line with Burns: aggressive, robust, and adversarial — an outline that rings true on each side. He listed 4 main areas for this competitors: army, expertise, commerce and economics, and values.
Burns described the particularly sophisticated space of commerce and economics. “We each need to be primary. Neither of us — to be trustworthy — is keen to be quantity two,” mentioned Burns. Exterior of North America, China is the US’ largest commerce associate. Outright commerce wars — like these in April and October 2025 — create friction. “At one level, you’ll keep in mind, 145 % tariffs by the US, and 125 % by China on the US. That simply grinds a relationship. These degree of tariffs, had they been sustained, would have meant zero commerce between the 2 international locations.”
The power subject may be considerably impacted by this space of competitors, Burns added. China is dominant within the manufacturing and processing of uncommon earth components, lots of that are important to merchandise like lithium batteries, photo voltaic panels, and electrical autos. In 2024 and 2025, the US was not the one nation to position tariffs on these merchandise; India, Turkey, South Africa, Mexico, Canada, the EU, and others adopted swimsuit. “I feel the Trump administration is correct, as President Biden was, to attempt to diversify sources on uncommon earths,” Burns mentioned.
Burns additionally famous with curiosity the dichotomy within the Chinese language power sector between their lead on clear power expertise and their continuous use of coal, standing out as an inconsistency in China’s efforts. Burns believes that local weather change could possibly be a key space of cooperation between China and the US, emphasizing the significance of the US’ participation, each technologically and diplomatically.
Burns additionally described the numerous technological competitors between the US and China — an space of central significance. All through his presentation, Burns was fast to reward the emphasis that China places on schooling and educational achievement, significantly in STEM fields. Pulling from a latest article in The Economist, he in contrast the 36 % of Chinese language first-year college college students majoring in STEM fields to the 5 % of American first-year college students in STEM. “Take into consideration the quantity of graduates and the disparity between our nation and China,” he mentioned. “Then take into consideration the share of these graduates who go into science and expertise.”
At present, areas like synthetic intelligence, quantum computing, and biotechnology are taking middle stage in technological innovation. “The Chinese language are very expert when it comes to industrial processes and doctrine of adapting shortly,” mentioned Burns. He defined that holding a aggressive edge lies not solely in who’s first in the marketplace, however who adopts the expertise first, and who is ready to unite that technological progress with coverage.
“That is a very powerful relationship that we have now on the earth,” mentioned Burns. He believes that the true take a look at is whether or not the US and China can handle competitors in order that pursuits are protected, whereas avoiding the usage of the huge harmful energy each international locations possess. “We’ve acquired to normalize the communication and engagement to forestall the worst from occurring,” mentioned Burns.
“We’re at a stage of human historical past the place we’re all linked collectively, and the destiny of all people on this room and all of our international locations is linked collectively by these enormous transnational challenges,” mentioned Burns. “We’ve acquired to study to compete and but dwell in peace with one another within the course of.”
This speaker sequence highlights power consultants and leaders on the forefront of the scientific, technological, and coverage options wanted to rework our power techniques. Go to MITEI’s Occasions web page for extra data on this and extra occasions.