Meal gave scholar taste for China-US links

What do you feel has been China's biggest achievement over the past five years? What's the most notable change you've observed?

The past five years have been a very important time for China. China has adopted a strategy to avoid the so-called middle-income trap, to push the development of an innovation economy led by private enterprises. It's been remarkable how many companies I've seen that have moved beyond using designs developed elsewhere in the world and adapting them for China. Now, they're creating original designs that have the potential to improve the quality of life for people all over the world.

What three words would you use to describe China today?

Transforming. Sophisticated. Cashless.

What's the biggest challenge China faces, and how do you feel the country can go about overcoming it?

China needs to continue its work to ensure it has universities that will prepare the current generation to lead a happy and successful life in a cosmopolitan age of smart machines, a challenge for universities all over the world. The key to doing that is for China to stick to a strategy, which is decentralized, that says each university needs to develop its own approach and try new things to ensure education keeps up with the talent of the students and with the demands of the outside world.

What are your expectations for the upcoming 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China? What are the key issues you care about most?

I'm especially interested in how the Party will ensure its Standing Committee maintains a diversity of policy perspectives. It's hard with such a small group to sustain the diversity of policy perspectives, but it's important for effective risk management.

What is your impression of President Xi Jinping?

He is a very sophisticated national leader who has a very deep understanding about the effective way to exercise power in a large and complicated society.

How do you view China's role in today's world?

China is one of just a handful of countries whose every action has worldwide implications. What that means is that China has a key voice in every conversation about how countries should cooperate to face challenges, to ensure the world continues to progress. China has the capacity to be a consistent and stable force for peaceful and sustainable global development according to a shared and consistent understanding of international law.

Do you believe that some of China's experiences or practices could be used to solve pressing global problems? If so, what are they?

Two obvious pressing global problems are climate change and the rise of nationalist movements worldwide that are trying to cut off international cooperation and movement of people and ideas. China can be a critical force against both. With climate change, China has an important leadership role in implementation of the Paris Agreement. With respect to the rise of nationalism, China has an important role in showing consistent and sustained commitment to the policy of reform and opening-up.

What do you think China will be like in five years' time? How do you view China's longer-term future?

Over the next five years, we will see China commit even more resources to building a significant welfare state. For people to be able to move to different places without worrying their family will be put at risk, and for people to be able to take risks, it's critical they know their actions will not put them or their family in danger of poverty or at risk of losing their healthcare. I think we will continue to see China invest significant resources in the construction of national systems of health, education and welfare.