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The Dartmouth
July 17, 2025 | Latest Issue
The Dartmouth

Winston Lord talks Chinese relations

Winston Lord, Montgomery Fellow and former U.S. ambassador to China, spoke Wednesday about the future of U.S.-China relations.
Winston Lord, Montgomery Fellow and former U.S. ambassador to China, spoke Wednesday about the future of U.S.-China relations.

A graduate of Yale University and Tufts University's Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, Lord has played a "central and distinguished role in determining American foreign policy toward the Far East," according to Richard Stamelman, executive director of the Montgomery Endowment.

In his lecture "Sweet and Sour: Sino-American Relations," held in Moore Hall's Filene Auditorium Lord predicted that China's current political and economic model will not last, saying that new leaders face "not just tactical adjustments, but strategic choices." He also forecasted "mixed and fluid" Sino-American relations.

"We will certainly not be allies or even strong partners, but we will almost certainly not be foes," Lord said.

Lord described China's military power, economic power, global reach and domestic system in relation to those of the United States, noting that these topics will affect future diplomatic relations.

"China is not rising it is returning, and it returns with a volatile mix of arrogance and insecurity, envy and xenophobia," Lord said.

China's economy may surpass that of the United States within 10 to 20 years, he said. Because the Chinese system is becoming less sustainable, the country cannot continue to rely on exports and investments and should instead begin to boost its own domestic consumption, he said.

In the formation of policy, however, the United States should try neither to contain China nor to accommodate it.

"Don't demonize or sanitize China," he said, instead recommending that the U.S. build a Pacific community with the Chinese.

Discussing his personal experiences in China, Lord described his tenure as U.S. ambassador to China as a "wonderful" and "free-wheeling" time. He said that since his wife is originally from Shanghai, they were able to access different facets of Chinese intellectual and cultural life.

Having been in China before the Tiananmen Square protests, Lord said he experienced a period of harmonious Sino-American relations.

"We had a big expansion of trade, and we were cooperating against the Soviet Union," he said. "It was a very friendly relationship."

Since Lord's time as ambassador, China has changed significantly, and some of its policies have become more strict, he said.

"I was somewhat disappointed by the tightening up we've seen recently, on the political side, on the censorship, ever since the Olympics," he said. "I hope that will be changed with the new leadership."

Students attending the lecture said Lord's use of humor and personal anecdotes strengthened his presentation.

"Ambassador Lord was even more knowledgeable than I had initially anticipated and spoke with humor and candor," James Rascoff '15 said. "It's always interesting to hear a lecturer with such extensive expertise share his knowledge, and as a student of Chinese, I was particularly interested in his opinions on the future of Sino-American relations."

Aaron Goldman '15 said he enjoyed Lord's conversational style paired with the depth of his knowledge about Chinese history, economics and social development.

"I wish more political authorities would answer questions as honestly and directly as Ambassador Lord did during the question and answer portion of his lecture," he said.

Yuxiang Zhou '12, a Chinese international student, said he agreed with Lord's suggestion that it is in the best interests of both China and the United States to cooperate and maintain close ties.

"His service as the U.S. ambassador to Beijing definitely made him better informed and more pragmatic than domestic politicians," he said. "We have good reasons to be optimistic about the future relations between our two countries."

Lord, a Montgomery Fellow, will be in residence on campus with his wife Bette Bao Lord from May 7-11, presenting lectures and joining various classes to speak about his experiences.

Lord and his wife were selected as Montgomery Fellows because they have worked as a team to improve relations between China and the United States and because of their emphasis on human rights, Stamelman said.

The Steering Committee of the Montgomery Endowment chooses candidates who are highly accomplished in their fields and will offer students an "inspiring, intellectual and pedagogical experience," according to Stamelman. Montgomery Fellows also need to be good teachers who know how to interact with students, he said.

Lord served as ambassador to China from 1985 to 1989. During his career in foreign relations with China, Lord also served as assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs, chairman of the International Rescue Committee, chairman of the National Endowment for Democracy and president of the Council on Foreign Relations, Stamelman said.