The Chinese Century: Sino-American Relations -- Change, Challenges, and Opportunities in the 21st Century

The emergence of China -- politically, militarily, and economically -- is fundamentally altering the importance of the relationship between China and the United States. This paper explains why Sino-American relations are critical to the future of the United States; defines the competing visions for American strategy towards China; analyzes these alternative strategies; evaluates the current strategy; and makes recommendations based on the preceding analysis and evaluation. This examination concludes that at the beginning of what may be the Chinese Century, the United States should continue to pursue relations guided by the principles of cooperative security, enduring American values, and common bilateral interests. USAWC Strategy Research Project.