College Essay Contest

The 1990 Institute believes that discovery through education paves the way for Americans to understand more about China, as well as for Chinese to understand more about the United States – thereby fostering a more thoughtful and rational view of the relations between the two countries. The 1990 Institute encourages university students to develop a more nuanced understanding of contemporary China and the implications of its rise as a superpower through an annual College Essay Contest.

Announcing 2026 Essay Contest

The contest is organized by China Focus, an online publication of the 21st Century China Center at UC San Diego and jointly sponsored by the 1990 Institute and the Carter Center. We welcome evidence-based original essays that engage thoughtfully with one of the topics below.

Prizes are offered:

One 1990 Institute Prize of $1000
One Jimmy Carter Prize of $1000
Four runner-up prizes of $ 500 each

Award winners will grant China Focus and co-sponsors the right to publish their essays on their respective platforms or in their publications. Winners may then be contacted with additional award opportunities to transform their essays into teaching materials and also to discuss their work with a panel of experts during the summer.

2026 Essay Topics (Choose 1)
Deadline: April 10, 2026, 11:59 PM Pacific Time

Topic 1

Cooperation amid Strategic Rivalry - How Can the U.S. and China Find Common Ground in Critical Global Issues?

As the U.S.-China relationship enters an era of strategic competition, areas of cooperation such as science and technology, climate, public health, and global security remain important for international growth and stability. This topic explores how both powers can balance competition with collaboration, identify concrete opportunities for joint or coordinated action, and reflect on their broader implications for the global system.

Guiding questions:

In which issue area(s) can U.S.-China cooperation most effectively serve global interests despite strategic rivalry?
Where are the most realistic opportunities for cooperation or coordination, and what concrete mechanisms could enable them?
What lessons from past cooperative efforts (e.g., science diplomacy, climate action, public health, AI governance) can inform future U.S.–China collaboration?

题目一：战略竞争中的合作 - 美中如何在全球关键议题上找到共同点？

随着美中关系进入战略竞争的新阶段，科技、气候、公共卫生及全球安全等领域的合作依然对国际稳定至关重要。本题旨在探讨两国如何在竞争中寻求合作，识别具体的联合或协调行动机会，并分析其对全球体系与全球治理的深远影响。

引导问题：

在战略竞争背景下，美中在哪些领域的合作最能有效促进全球公共利益？
在当前国际格局下，美中在哪些议题上存在最现实的合作空间？哪些具体机制可以支持此类合作？
从以往合作经验（如科学外交、气候行动、公共卫生、人工智能治理）中，未来美中合作可以汲取哪些教训？

Topic 2

Beyond the Trade War - How Is the U.S.-China Competition Reshaping the Asia-Pacific Regional Order?

Since 2018, U.S.-China competition in trade, technology, and security has profoundly reshaped the economic and political landscape of the Asia-Pacific region. This topic examines how regional countries are adapting, balancing, and repositioning themselves amid shifting power dynamics and strategic uncertainty.

Guiding questions:

How are U.S.-China trade and industrial policies reshaping regional alliances and strategically important supply chains in the Asia-Pacific?
How do countries such as Vietnam, Japan, or Indonesia navigate China-U.S. competition and adjust their strategic positioning?
Can regional frameworks such as RCEP or APEC help build more resilient and sustainable regional economic networks?

题目二：超越贸易战 - 美中竞争如何重塑亚太地区格局？

自2018年以来，美中在贸易、科技与安全领域的竞争深刻影响了亚太地区的经济与政治结构。本题旨在探讨在地缘政治变化与战略不确定性上升的背景下，区域国家如何进行战略平衡、政策调整与角色重塑。

引导问题：

美中贸易与产业政策竞争如何重塑亚太地区的联盟结构及关键供应链？
越南、日本或印尼等国家如何在美中竞争中调整自身战略定位？
RCEP、APEC 等区域机制是否有助于构建更具韧性和可持续的区域经济网络？

Contest Requirements

The contest is open to undergraduate students, graduate students, and recent graduates (enrolled, or have just graduated, during the 2025–26 academic year). Submission must be the author's original work. Collaborative submissions are encouraged, but prize money must be split among collaborators. Entries can be in either English or Chinese.

Essays should be written in op-ed style, with references provided as appropriate with a length of up to 2,500 words in English and 3,000 in Chinese.

Each entry will be reviewed by a panel of judges drawn from the China Focus board of advisers and other experts.

Contest Prizes

Two equal $1,000 prizes for contest winners, the 1990 Institute Prize and the Jimmy Carter Prize, will be awarded. Four runner-up essays will also be selected to win $500 each.

Winners will be selected based on the overall quality of his/her submission. Contest winners may be contacted with additional award opportunities entailing transforming their essays into teaching materials and/or discussing their essay themes with experts on a panel event during the summer.

AI Usage Policy

China Focus encourages originality, authenticity, and the thoughtful engagement of our contributors. While we understand that artificial intelligence (AI) tools such as ChatGPT may be useful for brainstorming, fact-checking, or improving clarity, we prohibit the use of AI for drafting, rewriting, or generating substantial portions of any article.

Authors are expected to ensure that all submissions reflect their own analysis, argument, and writing style. Using AI to compose or paraphrase large sections of text will be considered a violation of our publication ethics and may result in rejection of the submission.