The registration will open on March 24th, 2026
Geopolitical Tensions: US-China Relations and the Taiwan Strait
Ambassador Susan Elliott
Career U.S. diplomat with nearly three decades of senior government service. She served as U.S. Ambassador to Tajikistan and as Civilian Deputy and Foreign Policy Advisor to the Commander of U.S. European Command. She is currently President and CEO of the National Committee on American Foreign Policy.
Wednesday, April 8, 2026
1:00- 2:00pm
SUNY Global Center
116 East 55th Street
New York City
Also available on Zoom
About the Topic
Ambassador (ret.) Susan Elliott will speak about U.S.-China relations, including the issue of Taiwan, and the geopolitical tensions in this key relationship. Taiwan has been the main flashpoint in the US-China relationship since the normalization of diplomatic relations in the 70’s and tensions have only increased in recent years. The People’s Republic China (PRC) maintains that Taiwan is a part of China, while the ruling Democratic Progressive Party in Taiwan asserts that Taiwan is an independent and sovereign country. The U.S. One China Policy emphasizes peaceful resolution of this dispute and although the U.S. is obligated to help Taiwan defend itself from attack, does not take a position on Taiwan’s sovereignty. Despite the dispute, the ties among China, Taiwan and the U.S. are deep and the U.S. is navigating a difficult path between two of its largest and most important trading partners. How is the Trump administration approaching this issue and what are the prospects for U.S.-China relations in the year ahead? How will the Taiwan issue affect the U.S-China relationship and how can we avoid a conflict or a potentially larger global conflagration?
About the Speaker
Ambassador (ret.) Susan M. Elliott is President & CEO of the National Committee on American Foreign Policy, a nonpartisan, nonprofit think tank that promotes peaceful conflict resolution through public education, dialogue, and informal talks with non-government experts.
During her 27-year diplomatic career, Ambassador Elliott has held a variety of leadership positions at the U.S. Department of State. Ambassador Elliott served as the Civilian Deputy and Foreign Policy Advisor to the Commander of the United States European Command and was the U.S. Ambassador to Tajikistan from 2012 to 2015. Prior to her appointment as Ambassador, she served as the Deputy Assistant Secretary of State, Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs, U.S. Department of State. Ambassador Elliott worked also worked in Russia, Greece, Peru and Northern Ireland as well as a variety of Washington-based assignments.
Ambassador Elliott served on the faculties of Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana and the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, Virginia before joining the U.S. Department of State. She received her BS from Skidmore College; an MS from Russell Sage College; and a PhD from Indiana University Bloomington.
Event Prices
Patron Member: No Fee
Young Patron Member: No Fee
Regular Member: No Fee
Non-Resident Member: No Fee
Guest of a Member: $35
Non-member: $35