Global Challenges
Former U.S. Ambassador Nicholas Burns warned that the United States risks political disadvantages against China if it fails to resolve internal divisions and build national unity.
淯rgently, we檝e got to rebuild ourselves at home,� Burns said. 淲e are a divided, disputatious, and sometimes dysfunctional darkness. A country cannot be powerful and effective overseas if it divided at home.�
Burns �78 returned to the Heights for the Winston Center for Leadership and Ethics� fall Clough Colloquium. After graduating from 51动漫, Burns served as a U.S. diplomat for over 30 years, acting most recently as ambassador to China during the Biden administration. He is currently a professor of the practice at Harvard Kennedy School of Government.
Burns stressed the unique global influence of both the United States and China, emphasizing their geopolitical rivalry.
淲e檙e really the only two societies that have a full global reach, who can have an impact because of our economic, cultural, political, and military power,� Burns said.
Yet, the integrity of U.S. international relations appears to be at risk. According to Burns, current trade policies攑articularly tariffs imposed on allied nations攁re counterproductive, 渄riving and pushing [our] allies away.�
Alongside trade, the United States must reinvest in research, Burns argued. Rather than increasing funding for technological advancement, the U.S. government has substantially reduced its research budget, further harming the country competitive edge, according to Burns.
淎t Caltech, Carnegie Mellon, MIT, or Stanford, your budgets are being cut,� Burns said.聽 淎t Harvard, of course, we檝e had several billions of dollars taken away攂illions of dollars in research for cancer, for other diseases, for scientific breakthroughs in quantum biotech.�
The repercussions of the Trump administration changes, such as dismantling government-funded international news sources like Radio Free Asia and Voice of America, are harming the United States by making it harder to counter China propaganda, Burns said.
淎s China portrays its propaganda abroad攁cross the world攁bout how weak we are and our democracy is failing, we can檛 fire back,� Burns said.
Citing Abraham Lincoln Lyceum Address, Burns suggested that before the United States attempts to reconcile impaired relations overseas, it must first reconcile with itself.
淲e have to close ranks and find a way through leadership at the national level, the state level, community level, families, here at Boston College,� Burns said. 淭he north/south divide, the urban/rural divide攖hese traditions that are beginning to tear at our country, to pull our country apart at the seams.�
Adapted from 聽article by聽Alexa Allers '29