I think were about to begin. And theres still some seats if youd like to come sit in the front. Good evening and welcome. Im warn hogue, ipis Senior Adviser for external relations, and im happy to welcome you to this distinguished author series event featuring thomas j. Christensen, author of the china challenge shaping the choices of a rising power. Now, the reason that tom and i look like, as he said, were suicide bombers [laughter] is im wired for sound by ipi, but also c is here. So were also cspan is here. So were also wired for cspan. Now that verb shaping, in the title, shaping the choices of a rising power, is well chosen because its toms thesis that this is the challenge facing american diplomacy. Not defying or confronting or defeating the vast and powerful nation that represents the other half of what is the 21st centurys defining bilateral relationship, but nudging, persuading, urging, convincing china that contributing to the International System and acting in cooperative