China, the economic success story of our generation, a nation whose leader has announced big ambitions

for its people when he declared it is time to take center stage in the world.

We have debated China several times before as an emerging military power, as a model of

capitalism, as America's rival.

This time we want to take on China's soaring status as a major power across several dimensions.

The use of questionable trade practices and espionage to get out in front of Silicon Valley,

use of data and technology, and initiative to create Chinese-made global economic infrastructure

so that all roads will lead back to China.

There is so much to discuss that for this topic, we are using our unresolved format, five

debaters, each flying solo, saying yes or no to a series of three resolutions one after

the other.

In other words, instead of one debate, we are doing three right in a row.

From intelligence-squared U.S., this is unresolved, the economic Cold War with China.

I'm John Don Van.

For this debate at Symphony Space in New York City, our debaters are Michelle Flornoi, principal

advisor to the Secretary of Defense under President Obama and co-founder of the Center for

a New American Security.

Ian Bremer, president and founder of Eurasia Group and author of the book Us Verses Them,

The Failure of Globalism.

Geshen Huang, professor of political economy at MIT and author of several books in Chinese

and English, including Capitalism with Chinese Characteristics.

Pura Kanna, founder and managing partner of Future Map and author of The Future is Asian,

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