September 11, 2017

Is China leaping past us?

Sixty years ago this fall, the Soviet Union shocked the world by launching into orbit Earth’s first artificial satellite, Sputnik 1. The beach ball-sized spacecraft was an astounding scientific achievement, one previously thought beyond the reach of Moscow. As Sputnik circled the globe and emitted radio signals detectable by anyone with a short-wave receiver, the American public experienced a crisis of confidence over their country’s standing in the world and its Cold War competitiveness.

We know the rest of the story. American scientists and policymakers were shaken out of the complacent assumption that their technological edge was insurmountable. American government, universities, and industry mobilized for a competition of scientific innovation – and won.

Read the full article in POLITICO.

  • Reports
    • March 18, 2025
    Assessing China’s Nuclear Decision-Making

    China’s rapid nuclear buildup is raising questions about how the country makes decisions related to nuclear weapons. This policy brief analyzes that trend by presenting three ...

    By Jacob Stokes

  • Commentary
    • January 20, 2025
    Articulate a Comprehensive, Coherent China Strategy

    President Trump should articulate a comprehensive, coherent China strategy that addresses U.S. objectives, the ways and means to achieve them, and how the strategy can mitigat...

    By Jacob Stokes

  • Commentary
    • Sharper
    • August 21, 2024
    Sharper: Axis of Upheaval

    A loose but growing coalition between Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea demonstrates that their combined strategic interests have the potential to pose significant economic...

    By Anna Pederson

  • Commentary
    • The National Interest
    • August 8, 2024
    The Will and the Power: China’s Plan to Undermine Pax Americana

    From Washington’s Farewell Address to Biden’s national security strategy, the core U.S. national interest, unsurprisingly, has not changed: to ensure the fundamental security ...

    By Richard Fontaine & Robert Blackwill

View All Reports View All Articles & Multimedia