As China’s national interests become increasingly connected with global policy challenges, Beijing is adopting a larger role in South and Central Asia. In this podcast, Paul Haenle and former U.S. deputy assistant secretary of defense David Sedney discussed China’s relations with India and Pakistan, China’s New Silk Road initiative, the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, and opportunities for Sino-U.S. cooperation in Afghanistan.

Sedney emphasized that China’s more active diplomacy aims to enhance regional security and advance its economic interests. He suggested that China’s relations with neighboring countries in South and Central Asia will be central to Beijing’s efforts to foster prosperity and stability in the region.

David Sedney

David Sedney is a non-resident senior fellow at the Atlantic Council and a non-resident senior associate at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. He served as deputy assistant secretary of defense for Afghanistan, Pakistan and Central Asia from 2009 to 2013.

Paul Haenle

Paul Haenle is the director of the Carnegie–Tsinghua Center for Global Policy. Prior to joining Carnegie, he served from June 2007 to June 2009 as the director for China, Taiwan, and Mongolian Affairs on the National Security Council staffs of former president George W. Bush and President Barack Obama.