By Quinn Ennis, Yale University 2026 1990 Institute Prize Winner Annual UC San Diego 21th Century China Center China Focus Essay Contest Abstract The Lithium Triangle of Argentina, Bolivia, and Chile holds the majority of known lithium reserves in the world. Though Chinese and U.S. firms have spent billions of dollars to secure their individual lithium extraction networks, this money has flowed into a governance vacuum. There is no binding multilateral standard that governs t

By Hanyue Zhang 2026 1990 Institute Runner Up Prize Winner Annual 21th Century China Center at UC San Diego China Focus Essay Contest Abstract U.S. technology sanctions and semiconductor export controls are often presented as a successful coalition-building strategy aimed at constraining China’s technological advancement. This essay argues that they also impose an “alliance tax” on America’s partners, forcing middle powers to absorb economic, industrial, and diplomatic costs

By Patrick Luczak, UC San Diego and Abraham Wu, UC San Diego 2026 Jimmy Carter Center Prize Winner Annual China Focus Essay Contest of the 21th Century China Center, UC San Diego Abstract Most of digital life feels instant and wireless. Messages move, video calls connect, and AI answers arrive in seconds. But much of that traffic still depends on physical submarine cables running across the ocean floor. Submarine cables are easy to ignore because they work so well. As U.S.-Ch

A 1990 Institute Teachers Workshop November 19, 2025 4:00 PM Pacific | 7:00 PM Eastern Virtual Event on Zoom Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming how nations compete, how economies grow, and how cultures evolve. At the heart of this global shift is the U.S.-China relationship, where the race for AI leadership is emerging as a modern Cold War — a watershed moment signaling that the AI revolution is no longer distant, but already here. And when it comes to the U.S. and

By Pablo Dufour, The London School of Economics and Political Science 2025 1990 Institute Prize Winner Annual China Focus Essay Contest of the 21th Century China Center, UC San Diego Abstract This essay critically assesses China’s progress under the Made in China 2025 (MIC2025) initiative through the comparative lens of two strategic sectors: robotics and aerospace. It argues that while China has achieved remarkable gains in robotics by leveraging state support, regional indu

By Abraham Wu, UC San Diego 2025 1990 Institute Runner Up Prize Winner Annual China Focus Essay Contest of the 21th Century China Center, UC San Diego Abstract Mexico has become the hinge economy in North America where Washington and Beijing test rival development models and strategic leverage. This essay argues that a second Trump administration would place Mexico at the center of a three-way trilemma: pursuing economic independence for Midwest voters, preserving cross-borde

By Parvathy Sailesh & Chenling Wan, National University of Singapore 2025 1990 Institute Runner Up Prize Winners Annual China Focus Essay Contest of the 21th Century China Center, UC San Diego Abstract Made in China 2025 (MIC25) sought to transform China from low-value manufacturing to technology leadership. This essay compares the outsized success of the Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) sector, with the dismal progress in China’s indigenous passenger aircraft sector to underst