US & China event to take place in Ostrander

Jousha Schuetz
Staff Writer

Ever since the end of the Cold War, the United States has remained the only nation to be considered superpower in the world. Some thought that this state of affairs would never change.

It already has. China is one of the world’s most powerful countries and is rapidly approaching superpower status, if it has not achieved that already. 

On Saturday, March 23, the public will get the opportunity to learn more about the strained relationship between the United States and the People’s Republic of China. The event will take place at the Ostrander Auditorium in the Centennial Student Union, at 1 p.m.

Presenting at the event will be Tom Hanson, the Chairman of the Minnesota Committee on Foreign Relations. 

Mr. Hanson served in the United States Foreign Service for 25 years. In addition to serving as Chairman of the MCFR, Mr. Hanson is also the co-Chair of the China Asia Business Association, and serves as the Diplomat in Residence at the Alworth Institute for International Affairs.

Mr. Hanson has spoken on events related to foreign policy, particularly with respect to the United States and Asia-Pacific region. He has spoken at Minnesota State University, Mankato several times in previous years, the most recent of which being January 2018.

The event is sponsored by the Mankato Area Lifelong Learners, an organization dedicated to promoting learning later in life, after people have left the formal education system. Their work includes providing community events like this, free of charge, open to students and the larger public alike.