Susan Thornton is a former U.S. diplomat and acting assistant secretary of state for east Asian and pacific affairs. Thornton was with the State Department for nearly 30 years working in Beijing, Chengdu, Turkmenistan, Armenia, and Kazakhstan. She was nominated to be assistant secretary of state for east Asian and pacific affairs in 2018 but was not confirmed. She led east Asia policymaking at the State Department during negotiations of North Korea’s nuclear arsenal and the trade war with China. In previous State Department roles, she worked on issues related to China, Korea and the former Soviet Union countries. Thornton speaks both Mandarin and Russian. She is currently a senior fellow and visiting lecturer at the Yale Law School Paul Tsai China Center.
Susan Thornton. Illustration by Kate Copeland
Q: You have experienced several different administrations and different relationships with China during your time in the State Department. Why do you think this past decade has bee
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