The US-China relations are an indispensable constituent of global order, with estimates of the nature and prospects of these relations being significantly divergent. In this respect, some scholars

Statement (3 min)

The US-China relations are an indispensable constituent of global order, with estimates of the nature and prospects of these relations being significantly divergent. In this respect, some scholars may suggest that after surmounting the long-lasting humiliation China has been acummulating the necessary clout, which has found its manifestation in the so-called ‘new assertiveness’, to challenge the US hegemony not only in the Asia-Pacific, but also on the level of global governance. However, given all the turbulence of conflict potential between the two states, my argument is that despite perilous incompatability of their interests in certain spheres, both actors exercise considerable leverage on each other (intriguing set of ckecks and balances if you like), they have demonstrated surprising if not consistent restraint and are not likely to undermine the status quo of their relations.

First, since the rapproachement and ecpecially after the end of the cold war in Asia, the US-China relations have been elevated to strategic partnership. They cooperate in stabilising various regions, address transanational threats and non-proliferation issues as well as negotiate international financial regulations. Furthermore, given the experience of the Chinese double digit growth, it may be irrelevant to explain the US perception of China in terms of playing the Chinese card against Russia, some scholars even suggest that it is China that can now play the Russian card against the US. Moreover, it is unrealistic to expect that China will forsake its partnership with the US for accommodationg Russia’s concerns about the US hegemony. Consequently, the growing equality of China’s and US clout and the indispensability of both in addresing global issues makes them be very unlikely to engage in a significant dispute.

The second part of my explanation is the economic interdependency of the two countries. China is the principal holder of the US public debt, at the same time the US is an important market for Chinese goods and a supplier of high-tech. What should be emphasised is the fact that China has adopted the paradigm of peaceful external environment for developmental goals, with the legitimacy of the CCP and resting on the economic performance. Therefore, China is more concerned with maintaining its domestic state order than with power-projection on the global level.

Finally, despite the notoripus system of the US bilateral alliances in the Asia-Pacific that may make China’s security rather tentative, it is worth noting that the conflicts in the region are of low intensity (according to the Uppsala conflict dataset), consequently the two countries do not risk significantly engaging in a major endeavour with irreversable effects.

In concluison, although the China-US bilateral relations are rather problematic in some respects, both countries favour maintaining the status quo and may perform as genuine strategic partners due to the commonality of their interests in some spheres, their relative power as a part of the system of bilateral checks and balances, their economic interdependency and the fact that a possibility of a hot counlict in the Asia-Pacific lacks credibility.

Дата добавления: 2015-09-29