The Way Forward Series

Despite growing competition between the U.S. and China, trade volume between the two countries remain significant and robust. U.S. agricultural exports to China, in particular, has seen tremendous growth.  But the world is changing dramatically and the impact is felt locally in the Heartland, where a majority of the U.S. agricultural exports to China are produced. 

The pandemic has challenged healthcare systems around the world. Global responses to the pandemic has been so uneven and varied that it may feel like we are living through a giant experiment everywhere, despite a shared understanding of the science.

Now in its third year, what have we learned? What is the next? What choices do we have? How do we balance the social and economic dimensions with managing the health and health system impacts?

We have gathered experts from different countries to share lessons learned under different healthcare systems to shed light on the potential best path forward.

Is Hainan the next Singapore? Or a newer and bigger one? Questions like these have been bubbling up ever since Hainan Province, China’s only tropical island, became China’s largest Free Trade Zone. Often referred to as the “Hawaii of the Orient”, Hainan is not only the world’s most dynamic tourism destination with a projected 80 million Chinese domestic visitors alone in 2021 but also the largest “lab” of the latest sustainable development experiment of the Chinese government.

Economic transformation in both the U.S. and China has created winners and losers in its respective society. While some regions are thriving, others have struggled. In this joint event organized by LRCCS, USHCA, and Taubman, we have invited the leading experts on shrinking cities to explore the lessons learned from the post-industrial shrinking cities in both the U.S. and China and how both countries are learning to help the communities that are left behind in the face of technology and global changes.