WASHINGTON—Winning the new Cold War against Communist China will serve as one of America’s greatest challenges of the 21st century. It’s a topic The Heritage Foundation will explore in depth at its Leadership Summit in April. 

An all-star panel featuring Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, and China policy experts Michael Pillsbury, Peter Schweizer, and Ambassador Robert Lighthizer will explore the myriad of issues related to China and how the United States should go about combating the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Conservative commentator Liz Wheeler will moderate the conversation. 

The discussion will take place Thursday, April 20, at Heritage’s two-day Leadership Summit at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center. The summit will feature members of Congress, conservative leaders, and leading media commentators.  

This week, Heritage published a groundbreaking report, “Winning the New Cold War: A Plan for Countering China,” detailing a comprehensive set of policy recommendations for how America should respond to the threat from the CCP.  

“It is time to acknowledge reality: The United States is in a new Cold War with the People’s Republic of China,” Heritage President Kevin Roberts said. “It is past time for a plan that serves American interests and protects the American people and economy from malicious actions by the CCP. We’re bringing together the best and brightest at our Leadership Summit for this very purpose—to make sure our fellow citizens understand the threat we face and how to respond.” 

More about the speakers:  

• Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, is serving his third term in Congress representing Texas’ 21st District, which includes South Austin, North San Antonio, and the Texas Hill Country. Previously, he was first assistant attorney general of Texas under Ken Paxton, chief of staff to Sen. Ted Cruz, and senior adviser to Texas Gov. Rick Perry. 

• Michael Pillsbury, Ph.D., is a renowned China scholar and serves as a senior fellow for China strategy at The Heritage Foundation. Pillsbury served on the staff of four U.S. Senate committees and worked in multiple presidential administrations. He is the author of the international best-selling book, “The Hundred-Year Marathon: China's Secret Strategy to Replace America as the Global Superpower.” 

• Peter Schweizer is the cofounder and president of the Government Accountability Institute and the former William J. Casey fellow at the Hoover Institution. He is also a No. 1 New York Times bestselling author. 

• Ambassador Robert Lighthizer is an experienced trade negotiator and litigator who served as U.S. trade representative in the Trump administration. 

• Liz Wheeler is the host of “The Liz Wheeler Show.” She is a voice of reason and reality for millions of Americans as she guides them through the most controversial stories of the day. 

The two days of Leadership Summit programming are part of Heritage’s 50th anniversary celebration. Gov. Ron DeSantis, R-Fla., will deliver the summit’s concluding remarks Friday, April 21. Other events include a Thursday welcome reception at George Washington’s Mount Vernon with Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin and a Friday evening gala with Fox News host Tucker Carlson. Heritage will announce additional speakers in the coming weeks.  

Heritage’s Leadership Summit will kick off the morning of Thursday, April 20, with remarks from Heritage’s president. The summit will demonstrate consensus around big-picture questions facing America and deliver a conservative policy agenda equipped to unite the movement around an offensive strategy to take back our country from the regime of the Left, restore self-governance, and rebuild key institutions of civil society. 

Featuring leaders from every sector of the conservative coalition, the Leadership Summit will further unpack strategies and tactics for the federal, state, and local levels to both halt the Left’s cultural onslaught and defend and strengthen our most cherished institutions and principles. 

Heritage will announce additional information and Leadership Summit speakers in the coming weeks. The summit will be open to a limited number of news outlets. For more information, click here. To apply for a press pass, click here. For inquiries, please contact Noah Weinrich ([email protected]).