Assessing the China Challenge: Insights from the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission

On Tuesday, April 21, the Clements Center for National Security and the Asia Policy Program will host Randy Schriver, Chairman of the Board of the Institute for Indo-Pacific Security and Mike Kuiken, Distinguished Visiting Fellow at the Hoover Institution, for a conversation on “Distinguished Visiting Fellow, Hoover Institution.” Join us from 12:15 – 1:30 pm in Bass Lecture Hall, The LBJ School of Public Affairs.

Randall Schriver is the Chairman of the Board of the Institute for Indo-Pacific Security (IIPS) and a partner at Pacific Solutions LLC. He is also a lecturer for Stanford University’s “Stanford-in-Washington” program, is on the Board of Advisors to the Sasakawa Peace Foundation USA, and is on the Board of Directors of the US-Taiwan Business Council. 

Just prior, he served for two years as the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Indo-Pacific Security Affairs where he led a team of nearly one hundred professionals and was the principal advisor to the Secretary of Defense on matters related to the Indo-Pacific region. 

Prior to his Senate confirmation, Mr. Schriver was one of five founding partners of Armitage International LLC, a consulting firm that specializes in international business development and strategies. He was also CEO and President of IIPS (formerly the Project 2049 Institute), a non-profit research organization dedicated to the study of security trend lines in Asia. He was also an adjunct lecturer for Stanford University’s “Stanford-in-Washington” program, where he taught a quarter long course on U.S. foreign policy every fall and spring for fourteen years. 

Previously, Mr. Schriver served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs. He was responsible for China, Taiwan, Mongolia, Hong Kong, Australia, New Zealand, and the Pacific Islands. From 2001 to 2003, he served as Chief of Staff and Senior Advisor to the Deputy Secretary of State. From 1994 to 1998, he worked in the Office of the Secretary of Defense, including as the senior official responsible for U.S. bilateral relations with the People’s Liberation Army and the bilateral security and military relationships with Taiwan.

Prior to his civilian service, he served as an active duty Navy Intelligence Officer from 1989 to 1991, including a deployment in support of Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm. After active duty, he served in the Navy Reserves for nine years, including as Special Assistant to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and as an attaché at U.S. Embassies in Beijing and Ulaanbaatar.

Mr. Schriver hails from Oregon and received a Bachelor of Arts degree in history from Williams College and a Master of Arts degree from Harvard University. He has won numerous military and civilian awards from the U.S. government and was recently presented with the Department of Defense Medal for Distinguished Public Service (highest civilian award). While at the State Department, he was presented with the Order of the Propitious Clouds by the President of Taiwan for service promoting U.S.-Taiwan relations. He is married to Jordan Schriver, and is father to Lucas, Rory, Brody, and Mae.

Chair Schriver was reappointed by Senate Republican Leader John Thune for a term expiring December 31, 2027.

Mike Kuiken is a Distinguished Visiting Fellow at Stanford University’s Hoover Institution and serves as a Commissioner on the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission. He is an advisor to the Special Competitive Studies Project (SCSP) and a member of Anthropic’s National Security and Public Sector Advisory Council. He also consults with CEOs, boards, and senior leaders across investment, AI, defense, technology, and multinational firms globally.

Mike previously served as Senate Majority Leader Schumer’s National Security Advisor, holding the Senate’s most senior national security staff role. He crafted and led the successful campaign to secure passage of the CHIPS and Science Act and played a key role in establishing and managing the Senate’s Artificial Intelligence Insight Forums.

Prior to joining Senator Schumer’s team, Mike spent more than 12 years as a professional staff member on the Senate Armed Services Committee. He began his career on the staff of the late Senator Carl Levin in the summer of 2001.

Mike’s career has spanned America’s most consequential national security challenges of the past two decades—from the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq through the rise of ISIS to today’s strategic competition with China. He has shaped legislative and policy responses to the Arab Spring, the Syrian civil war, Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine, and evolving cyber threats. His work has taken him to over 80 countries and every major conflict zone since 9/11, bringing firsthand perspective to U.S. national security policy.

Mike earned his B.A. in Political Science and Economics from Calvin University and his M.A. in International Commerce and Policy from George Mason University.

Commissioner Kuiken was appointed to the Commission by Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer for a term expiring December 31, 2025

The Asia Policy Program is a joint effort of the Clements Center for National Security and the Strauss Center for International Security and Law.