Research Update
05
Aug
On July 29, 2025, the 20th Sino-US Political and Economic Forum, hosted by the National Academy of Development and Strategy at Renmin University of China, was held online. The event was livestreamed jointly by several major media platforms, including Beijing Daily, China Business Journal, and ljzforum.com. This session was chaired by ZHAO Yong, Research Fellow at the National Academy of Development and Strategy and Professor at the School of Economics, Renmin University of China. The report titled “Decoding MAGA: Examining the Social Foundations and Political Impact of ‘America First’” was authored by LIAO Yue, Research Fellow at the National Academy of Development and Strategy and Lecturer at the School of Social Research. Leading experts and scholars in related fields—LEI Da, LI Xiangyang, LIU Qing, LIU Yuanchun, NI Feng, YANG Dian, and ZHAO Suisheng—jointly provided in-depth analysis.
Unit One featured the release of the report “Decoding MAGA: Examining the Social Foundations and Political Impact of ‘America First’” by LIAO Yue. The report focused on the following key areas:
The Origins and Core Ideas of the MAGA Movement
The Social Base of MAGA: Who Are the “Forgotten Americans”?
From the Margins to the Mainstream: The Evolution and Institutionalization of the MAGA Movement
The Exercise of Power: MAGA’s Structural Transformation of American Politics
MAGA Through Multiple Lenses: Diverse Perspectives and Strategic Insights
Conclusion: A Divided America in an Uncertain World
In the second unit of the forum, experts engaged in in-depth discussions on the report and related topics.
LEI Da, Professor at the School of Economics and Research Fellow at the National Academy of Development and Strategy, Renmin University of China, emphasized that the MAGA movement should be understood within the broader framework of U.S. historical development and technological innovation.
LI Xiangyang, Member of the Academic Division of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS) and Director of the Institute of Asia-Pacific and Global Strategy, offered a detailed commentary on Professor LIAO’s report, supplementing the analysis from both economic and cultural perspectives.
LIU Qing, Executive Dean of the National Academy of Development and Strategy and Professor at the School of Economics, Renmin University of China, shared insights from four key dimensions.
LIU Yuanchun, President and Deputy Party Secretary of Shanghai University of Finance and Economics and former Vice President of Renmin University of China, remarked that in addressing current issues, it is essential to grasp their essence rather than become overly fixated on details.
NI Feng, Director and Research Fellow at the Institute of American Studies, CASS, argued that Trump’s potential second term would mark a new phase of the MAGA movement, characterized by a restructuring of the ruling coalition’s capital composition and an ideological transformation.
YANG Dian, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee and Deputy Director (in charge) of the Institute of Sociology, CASS, shared his thoughts and perspectives from a sociological standpoint.
ZHAO Suisheng, Professor at the Josef Korbel School of Global and Public Affairs, University of Denver, and Editor-in-Chief of Contemporary China Studies (English edition), offered additional analysis of the MAGA phenomenon from three perspectives, drawing on his four decades of personal observation and experience living in the United States.
Proofreader: ZHAO Yong and LIAO Yue
Translator: ZHANG Yuqing
Web Editor: ZHANG Jingjing