Key facts
- Kurt Campbell has been a leading figure in shaping US policy toward China and the Indo-Pacific for over a decade.
- He served as President Biden’s “Asia Czar” and is currently Chairman of The Asia Group.
- Campbell discussed the US strategic approach to the Indo-Pacific, international security architecture, and technology's role in geopolitical competition.
- He also addressed the nature of national power, China's foreign policy, and the Biden administration's Asia policy.
- The risks of military escalation and the impact of AI on geopolitical competition were also topics of discussion.
Kurt Campbell, a veteran US diplomat and strategist, has been instrumental in shaping Washington's approach to China and the Indo-Pacific for over a decade. He served as the White House coordinator for Indo-Pacific affairs from 2021 to 2024 and as US deputy secretary of state from 2024 to 2025. Previously, he was assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs from 2009 to 2013 and was a key architect of the Obama administration’s “pivot to Asia.”
In recent discussions, Campbell has addressed the US strategic approach to the Indo-Pacific, the development of international security architecture, and his experiences within the Biden administration. He has also highlighted the role of technology, particularly artificial intelligence, in geopolitical competition. Topics covered include the nature of national power, China's foreign policy, and the administration's Asia policy.