China Negotiation Initiative

(a Harvard Negotiation Project initiative)
Director: Jim Sebenius
Affiliates: Jason Cheng and Michael Singh

Since Charlene Barshefsky was honored as a “Great Negotiator” for her work as Special Trade Representative, especially for her efforts in China on intellectual property negotiations, a number of faculty have found public and private negotiations with China-related aspects to be of special interest. The Barshefsky event led to closer collaboration with Professors Bill Alford and Robert Z. Lawrence, as well as to significant case-writing on economic negotiations involving China. In recent years, Bruce Patton, Jason Cheng, Dan Shapiro, and others have taught negotiation to Chinese officials at an HKS-based program. Collaborating with Jason Cheng over a two year period, Sebenius authored or co-authored several cases, notes, and articles on the subject as well as traveled to the region multiple times for study, teaching, and advisory work. With renowned China scholar (and former FAS Dean) Bill Kirby increasingly interested in the negotiating dimension of different China-related problems, both public and private, this HNP initiative catalyzed and unified a number of people’s efforts in this important area.

Although this initiative has been dormant for several years, a number of China-related negotiations continue to arise for study by HNP-affiliated faculty.