A public choice analysis is politically neutral. It merely seeks to understand and predict the actions of political actors within the system that they operate. Introducing the logic of economics into a space dominated by political science and sociology is an important addition to the discussion. Based on his co-authored book, The China Dilemma: Rethinking US-China Relations Through Public Choice Theory (American Institute for Economic Research, 2023), Ryan Yonk will offer observations which can be used to make a wide variety of observations on China and US-China relations. His main priority is not to necessarily promote one agenda over another, but to set the table for a more sober and complete conversation regarding China.

Ryan Yonk is the Director of Education and Senior Research Fellow at the American Institute for Economic Research (AIER). He holds a Ph.D. from Georgia State University and a M.S. and B.S. from Utah State University. Prior to joining AIER he held academic positions at North Dakota State University, Utah State University, and Southern Utah University, and was one of the founders of Strata Policy. He is the author or editor of numerous books including Green V. Green, Nature Unbound: Bureaucracy vs. the Environment, The Reality of American Energy, and Politics and Quality of Life: The Role of Well-Being in Political Outcomes. He has also authored numerous articles in academic journals including Public Choice, The Independent Review, Applied Research in Quality of Life, and The Journal of Private Enterprise. His research explores how policy can be better crafted to achieve greater individual autonomy and prosperity.

Bradley Hobbs is a Clinical Professor in the Department of Economics. He was also the Hayek Visiting Scholar at the SISC from 2012 - 2013. Before coming to Clemson University, Hobbs helped start Florida Gulf Coast University in Fort Myers, Florida. He taught both economics and finance at FGCU for over nineteen years and served as the first BB&T Distinguished Professor of Free Enterprise from 2000 - 2016. Hobbs currently serves as a Research Fellow at the James Madison Institute, sits on the Academic Advisory Board for The Bastiat Society, and is a voting member of the American Institute for Economic Research. He is also a former President of the Association of Private Enterprise Education and a long-time member of the Mont Pelerin Society. Hobbs earned his B.A. in History and his M.A. and Ph.D. in Economics from Florida State University. His research interests include property rights, economic freedom, economic growth, financial markets, and the philosophic foundations of markets. Hobbs' articles and reviews have appeared in a wide variety of journals, including Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, the Journal of Accounting and Finance Research, Laissez-Faire, the Journal of Economics and Finance Education, the Journal of Private Enterprise, the Journal of Entrepreneurship and Public Policy, and Research in Finance. He is currently working on a book project promoting humanism through classical liberalism.