The 2020 U.S. presidential election is a once-in-a-lifetime event to watch. CGTN is inviting scholars from U.S. think tanks and universities to break down the election and share their views on its various aspects. This is part one of the series, with Michael D. Swaine discussing the tumultuous China-U.S. relationship and its role in the election. Dr. Swaine is a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and one of the most prominent American analysts in Chinese security studies. Formerly a senior policy analyst at the RAND Corporation, Swaine is a specialist in Chinese defense and foreign policy, China-U.S. relations, and East Asia international relations.