.arunim.fyiA ChinaTalk episode featuring Ambassador Burns (Spotify, Transcript), recorded just days before the end of his tenure as Ambassador to China.
This one part was incredibly funny:
R. Nicholas Burns: But you do have to ask the question, what would be the consequence of trying to win, and would that strengthen us in some ways? What would we lose by our inability to work with them and work with others? That’s the central question that’s got to be asked.
Jordan Schneider: If China ever returns to a late ’70s, ’80s ferment, is there anything that the US can and should do to help bring about or prepare for that moment?
R. Nicholas Burns: Jordan, at one point in my career, a long time ago, I was State Department spokesperson for President Clinton, and I learned a big lesson there. Don’t ever answer a hypothetical question.
Of course, this makes sense given the two different contexts: ask, consider, and answer hypothetical questions when discussing ideas when you have the goal of improving or advancing ideas, but not when diplomatic ties between the US and China are on the line. Sensible, but funny because of the near-180 within seconds :)