The USA and China “are the 2 largest emitters of carbon on this planet,” said Nicholas Burns, former U.S. ambassador to the People’s Republic of China, at a recent MIT seminar. “We want to work with one another for the great of each of our countries.”
Throughout the MITEI Presents: Advancing the Energy Transition presentation, Burns gave insight into the evolving state of U.S.-China relations, its implications for the worldwide order, and its impact on global efforts to advance the energy transition and address climate change.
“We’re the 2 largest global economies,” said Burns, who’s now the Goodman Professor of the Practice of Diplomacy and International Relations at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government. “These are the one two countries that affect everybody else within the international system due to our weight.”
The connection between the USA and China could be summarized in three words, based on Burns: competitive, tough, and adversarial — an outline that rings true on each side. He listed 4 primary areas for this competition: military, technology, trade and economics, and values.
Burns described the especially complicated area of trade and economics. “We each need to be primary. Neither of us — to be honest — is willing to be number two,” said Burns. Outside of North America, China is the USA’ largest trade partner. Outright trade wars — like those in April and October 2025 — create friction. “At one point, you’ll remember, 145 percent tariffs by the USA, and 125 percent by China on the USA. That just grinds a relationship. Those level of tariffs, had they been sustained, would have meant zero trade between the 2 countries.”
The energy field could be significantly impacted by this area of competition, Burns added. China is dominant within the production and processing of rare earth elements, lots of that are critical to products like lithium batteries, solar panels, and electric vehicles. In 2024 and 2025, the USA was not the one country to put tariffs on these products; India, Turkey, South Africa, Mexico, Canada, the EU, and others followed suit. “I feel the Trump administration is true, as President Biden was, to attempt to diversify sources on rare earths,” Burns said.
Burns also noted with interest the dichotomy within the Chinese energy sector between their lead on clean energy technology and their continual use of coal, standing out as an inconsistency in China’s efforts. Burns believes that climate change might be a key area of cooperation between China and the USA, emphasizing the importance of the USA’ participation, each technologically and diplomatically.
Burns also described the numerous technological competition between the USA and China — an area of central importance. Throughout his presentation, Burns was quick to praise the emphasis that China puts on education and academic achievement, particularly in STEM fields. Pulling from a recent article in , he compared the 36 percent of Chinese first-year university students majoring in STEM fields to the 5 percent of American first-year students in STEM. “Think concerning the volume of graduates and the disparity between our country and China,” he said. “Then think concerning the percentage of those graduates who go into science and technology.”
Currently, areas like artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and biotechnology are taking center stage in technological innovation. “The Chinese are very expert in terms of commercial processes and doctrine of adapting quickly,” said Burns. He explained that holding a competitive edge lies not only in who’s first available on the market, but who adopts the technology first, and who’s capable of unite that technological progress with policy.
“That is a very powerful relationship that we’ve on this planet,” said Burns. He believes that the true test is whether or not the USA and China can manage competition in order that interests are protected, while avoiding using the huge destructive power each countries possess. “We’ve got to normalize the communication and engagement to stop the worst from happening,” said Burns.
“We’re at a stage of human history where we’re all linked together, and the fate of everybody on this room and all of our countries is linked together by these huge transnational challenges,” said Burns. “We’ve got to learn to compete and yet live in peace with one another in the method.”
This speaker series highlights energy experts and leaders on the forefront of the scientific, technological, and policy solutions needed to remodel our energy systems. Visit MITEI’s Events page for more information on this and extra events.
