Monday, October 5, 2026
In July 2026, a bipartisan delegation of the U.S.-China Economic Security Review Commission (USCC), led by Chair Randall Schriver and Vice Chair Mike Kuiken, traveled to China for the first time since 2019. The delegation met with officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Commerce, and the People’s Liberation Army in Beijing, then traveled to Hangzhou and Shanghai. Along the way, commissioners visited Zhejiang University, a wearable technology company, and a biotechnology research and testing facility, and met with American business leaders and diplomats.
Congress established the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission (USCC) in 2000 with the mission of examining the economic and security dimensions of the U.S.-China relationship. Its twelve commissioners, appointed by the leadership of both parties in the House and Senate, deliver an annual report to Congress with policy recommendations, a number of which have impacted China-related legislation.
In an interview conducted on October 5, 2026, USCC Chair Randall Schriver and Vice Chair Mike Kuiken join NCUSCR President Stephen Orlins to discuss their impressions from the trip, including China’s growing confidence in its global role, the widespread diffusion of electric vehicles and solar power, and China’s emergence as an innovator in biotechnology and pharmaceuticals, along with the policy questions that raises for the United States.
Speakers
Randall Schriver
Mr. Randall Schriver is the Chairman of the Board of the Institute for Indo-Pacific Security (IIPS) and a partner at Pacific Solutions LLC. He is also on the Board of Advisors to the Sasakawa Peace Foundation USA and the Board of Directors of the US-Taiwan Business Council.
Just prior, he served for two years as the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Indo-Pacific Security Affairs where he led a team of nearly one hundred professionals and was the principal advisor to the Secretary of Defense on matters related to the Indo-Pacific region.
Previously, Mr. Schriver served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs. He was responsible for China, Taiwan, Mongolia, Hong Kong, Australia, New Zealand, and the Pacific Islands. From 2001 to 2003, he served as Chief of Staff and Senior Advisor to the Deputy Secretary of State. From 1994 to 1998, he worked in the Office of the Secretary of Defense, including as the senior official responsible for U.S. bilateral relations with the People’s Liberation Army and the bilateral security and military relationships with Taiwan.
Prior to his civilian service, he served as an active duty Navy Intelligence Officer from 1989 to 1991, including a deployment in support of Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm. After active duty, he served in the Navy Reserves for nine years, including as Special Assistant to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and as an attaché at U.S. Embassies Beijing and Ulaanbaatar.
Chair Schriver was reappointed by Senate Republican Leader John Thune for a term expiring December 31, 2027.
Mike Kuiken
Mike Kuiken is a Distinguished Visiting Fellow at Stanford University’s Hoover Institution and serves as Vice Chair of the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission.
In the private sector, Mike is the Managing Member of Silver Valley Strategies, where he advises founders, CEOs, and investors on geopolitical and government strategies. He is an advisor to the Special Competitive Studies Project (SCSP) and a member of Anthropic’s National Security and Public Sector Advisory Council. He serves on the boards of the National Defense Industrial Association and the Planetary Science Institute. His writing has appeared in the Financial Times, Newsweek, and the Boston Globe.
Mike previously served as Senate Majority Leader Schumer’s National Security Advisor. He was a ‘Gang of Eight’ staffer for over seven years. He architected the legislative strategy to pass the CHIPS and Science Act and played a key role in establishing the Senate’s Artificial Intelligence Insight Forums. Prior to the Leader’s office, Mike spent over a decade on the Senate Armed Services Committee, a career that began with the late Senator Carl Levin.
Vice Chair Kuiken was reappointed to the Commission by Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer for a term expiring December 31, 2027.
