Rebalancing to Asia with an Insecure China

In the years ahead, China's perceived sense of insecurity will likely intensify as the US continues to deepen its diplomatic, economic, and military engagement in Asia. This will limit the possibilities for US-China cooperation on geopolitical issues and place additional strain on the bilateral relationship, leaving policymakers in Washington with the critical task of reconciling the goal of maintaining stable US-China relations while pursuing next steps in the rebalancing effort. Even as major diplomatic breakthroughs and deliverables remain elusive, sustained commitment to intensive high-level engagement with Beijing will be essential to cope with inevitable crises. Here, Ratner discusses why continued engagement with China will be a key element to actualizing the rebalancing strategy and ensuring that the US can advance its multitude of interests in Asia.