Terry Weidner - UM

“China Under Xi Jinping: The New Mao”

Picture of Terry WeidnerTerry Weidner, emeritus professor of Chinese politics at the University of Montana, will present “China Under Xi Jinping: The New Mao,” exploring how the Chinese leader has acquired Mao-like power in China.

He will assess where China is today, noting the nation’s escalating power and the serious national challenges that are eroding some of the domestic adulation that Xi has received. He also plans to touch on how the Trump trade war has influenced broader bilateral relations, China’s global position and Xi’s hold on power.

Weidner’s expertise on this current topic comes from years of experience. He began his career in academics before working six years as a Chinese political and economic analyst for the Foreign Broadcast Information Service in Washington, D.C. The D.C. position included a stint as a political officer at the U.S. Embassy in Beijing, where his coverage of the Tiananmen movement earned him an Exceptional Performance Award.

After leaving government work, Weidner held administrative roles at the University of Kansas and the University of Missouri before moving to UM in Missoula where he was director of the Maureen and Mike Mansfield Center from 2003 to 2013.

He holds a Ph.D. in Chinese history from the University of California at Davis.