Fourteen years ago, nearly 15,000 Americans were studying abroad in China – but now the number is less than 2,000. Fewer economic opportunities for Americans in China and changing U.S. perceptions of China are partially to blame for this decline, but the need for China expertise, particularly to craft effective foreign policy, is growing as China continues to rise. However, the U.S. government has shuttered or slowed some of the paths people used to take to study China, such as the Fulbright and Peace Corp program. Why does the United States need China expertise and what does its loss mean for U.S. foreign policy?
Rory Truex joined us in December 2025 to discuss the high barriers to studying China and the consequences a lack of China expertise could have for the future of U.S. foreign policy.
Rory Truex
Rory Truex is Associate Professor of Politics and International Affairs at Princeton University. His research focuses on Chinese politics and authoritarian systems. His work has been published in the American Political Science Review, British Journal of Political Science, Journal of Politics, Comparative Political Studies, Perspectives on Politics, and The China Quarterly. His research and commentary have been featured in The Atlantic, The Washington Post, The Hill, South China Morning Post, and The New York Times. In 2021 he received the President’s Award for Distinguished Teaching, the highest teaching honor at Princeton. He hosts The Civic Forum, a weekly video podcast on democracy featuring leading scholars and practitioners.