MASTERCLASS SERIES I VIRTUAL PROGRAMMING I OCTOBER 29th 2024 | 8:00-9:00 p.m. EST 5:00-6:00 p.m. PDT
Description: In the past two decades, China has reemerged as a major power with increasing influence as a regional power to a global actor with ambitions to reshape the world order. Through initiatives like the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and Digital Silk Road Initiative, China is expanding its economic, political and technological influence across Asia, Africa, Europe, and beyond. Its growing presence in international organisations and its military assertiveness in territorial disputes, especially in the South China Sea, reflect a more confident global stance. However, this rise is not without challenges. Growing pushback from Western nations, Washington first and foremost, concerns about debt diplomacy, and strained relations with neighbouring countries have sparked debates about the limits of China’s global influence. Understanding China’s ambitions requires a nuanced look at its foreign policy strategies, economic leverage, and military capabilities.
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Speakers: Paul Evans and Vina Nadjibulla
About the speakers
Paul Evans: Paul Evans (PhD, Dalhousie University) retired from UBC in 2023 after 43 years of teaching and is now Professor Emeritus. He held academic positions at Acadia, York, and UBC, with visiting appointments at Harvard, the University of Hong Kong, Singapore Management University, and Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia. He served as Director at UBC’s Institute of Asian Research and was Co-CEO of the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada.
A regionalist focused on Asia-Pacific security, Evans co-founded CSCAP, the Canadian Consortium on Human Security, and the Canada-Korea Forum. He has led numerous policy-related initiatives on multilateral institutions, including partnerships with research institutes across Asia. He is currently a Canadian representative on the ASEAN Regional Forum’s Experts and Eminent Persons Group.Evans has written or edited seven books, including Engaging China (2014), and served on editorial boards of several international journals. His teaching at UBC centered on Global China and World Order.
Vina Nadjibulla: As vice president of the Asia Pacific Foundation, Vina leads the APF Canada’s research, education, and network support activities, overseeing its granting and fellowship programs, as well as capacity-building projects. A frequent media commentator on geopolitics, Canadian foreign policy, and Canada-Asia relations, she focuses on India and China. With over two decades of experience in diplomacy, policy-making, and political risk analysis, Vina has worked at the UN and in peacekeeping missions across West and Central Africa. She has collaborated with governments, non-profits, and philanthropic organizations in Canada, the U.S., China, Africa, and Central Asia. Vina is an Adjunct Professor at UBC’s School of Public Policy and Global Affairs and a Senior Research Fellow at The Soufan Center. She holds a Master’s in International Affairs from Columbia University and is fluent in English, Russian, and Farsi, with intermediate Mandarin skills. Born in the Soviet Union, she was raised in Afghanistan and is a Canadian citizen.