北大国际战略研究院-_ISSUE-6-_-Separate-or-Similar-Goals_-On-Building-a-New-Type-of-Great-Power-Relations-between-China-and-the-United-States_8页_473kb

Sino-U.S. Relations: Separate or Similar Goals?

Core Content

The article by Wang Jisi, President of the Institute of International and Strategic Studies (IISS) at Peking University, explores the future direction of Sino-U.S. relations in the context of global power dynamics and mutual development paths. It emphasizes the importance of understanding the divergent yet complementary goals of both nations in building a new type of great power relationship.

Main Viewpoints

• Determining Factors of Sino-U.S. Relations: The development paths and strategies of China and the U.S. are the primary factors shaping their bilateral relationship.
• Avoiding Confrontation: Both countries aim to avoid confrontation, but their approaches and priorities differ. The article argues that a stable relationship is essential for China's reform and opening-up strategy and for the U.S. to achieve its domestic economic and political goals.
• "Two Paths to One End" Concept: Wang proposes that China and the U.S. should pursue their own development paths while working towards common objectives such as peace and prosperity. This concept implies that both nations can achieve similar outcomes without necessarily converging on the same model.
• "Two Orders" Framework: The essence of constructing a new type of great power relationship lies in recognizing and respecting the two distinct orders: China's domestic order and the U.S.'s global order.
• China's Core Interests: China's core interests include its political system, sovereignty, territorial integrity, and economic stability. These interests are central to its foreign policy and should be respected by the U.S.
• U.S. Perspective on Global Order: The U.S. seeks to maintain its global leadership and the existing international order. It views China's rise as a potential challenge and is concerned about the Thucydides Trap, where a rising power may confront an established one.
• Shift in China's International Engagement: China has evolved from seeking to build a new world order to actively promoting a more just and equitable international system, demonstrating its integration into the global order.
• New Types of Conflict: The article warns against "new types of confrontation and conflict" such as cyber warfare, trade wars, and arms races, which can escalate tensions without direct military confrontation.

Key Information

• China's Development Path: Centered on Reform and Opening Up, economic development, and peaceful development, China's foreign policy is driven by the need to maintain internal stability and national interests.
• U.S. Domestic Priorities: The U.S. is focused on domestic economic resurgence, infrastructure improvement, education reform, and debt management. These efforts are seen as essential for maintaining national security and global influence.
• Mutual Respect as a Principle: China consistently advocates for mutual respect in its relationship with the U.S., particularly regarding its political system and domestic order. The U.S., however, often overlooks this principle and instead focuses on areas of mutual interest.
• Strategic Dialogue and Institutions: Effective communication and crisis management mechanisms are crucial for reducing the risk of conflict. Strategic dialogues and institutions should be strengthened to address new types of confrontation.
• Global Governance Contributions: China has actively participated in global governance and contributed to the establishment of international norms, despite U.S. skepticism towards its political model.

Conclusion

The article concludes that as long as both China and the U.S. adhere to their respective development paths and respect each other's core interests, they can avoid strategic confrontation and build a cooperative, co-evolving relationship. This approach is more constructive than viewing their relationship as a zero-sum game.