The future of the US-China relationship
The future of the US-China relationship is depicted in mutually incompatible and unnecessarily stark possibilities (Firedberg 12). Will the United States and China become adversaries, rivals, partners, or friends? Some commentators believe that confrontation and competition between China and the United States are unavoidable, while others believe that the two countries will be obliged to collaborate due to mutual interests (Mead 5). Nonetheless, there is a growing consensus that the two countries will have a future relationship that is a mix of competition, cooperation, and discord. This is due to the fact that the two countries will soon reach the same level of economic and social development. The future between the U.S.-China will be characterized of intense competition, conflict and lack of trust. In this easy, I will argue for competition, conflict, and lack of trust as the state of future relationship and the counter argument will be cooperation and great partnership.
Competition
The two countries will have a competition, which is not regulated and does not embrace the cooperation aspects that will lead to conflict and mistrust (Firedberg 13). The U.S. and China are already competitors in different aspects that include Olympic gold medals and the U.N. Security Council votes (Betts 21). The two countries have also recorded a relationship, which is competitive. Such competition is risky, unfair, and costly such that these two nations will lack the element of partnership and cooperation at the international level (Mead 6). Furthermore, the economic relationship between China and the U.S. has continued to increase since the 1980s.
Conflict
The U.S.-China relationship will be characterized of intensive conflict. Such will stem from the confrontation among these two nations on issues of competition and growth and development. For example, China continues to feel the heat that stems from the readjustment of the military deployment at Washington to the Asia-Pacific and the intensification of the diplomatic maneuvering at the periphery of China (Mead 8). Such actions will continue to tear apart these nations making it complex for them to join hands and focus on mutual respect and cooperation for growth and development in society.
Trust
The U.S. and China have differences on cultural values and practices and political systems, but share interests on global challenges (Betts 24). However, these two nations lack the capacity to establish mutual strategic trust among themselves. Therefore, the way these countries address these issues will continue to differ. For example, as China rises, it will focus more on investing in the building of the regional defense buffer, as well as accelerating the expansion of the strategic space that exists within its periphery (Joseph 11). On the other hand, Washington considers the move as the one that aims at constraining the United States or driving the nation from the East Asia. Hence, these two countries will find it complex to have a mutual understanding and cooperation on several issues and matters that affect their business activities. The geopolitical rivalry between these two countries leads to strategic suspicion.
Cooperation
In contrast, China and the U.S. will have a relationship, which is based on cooperation (Betts 3). As such, the nations will have mutual respect for one another where win-win cooperation will be established on several global issues. The cooperation will also determine the nature of competition, which will take place among these two nations (Mead 6). Such competition will yield great benefits of steering the growth and development of the countries. Thus, the countries will adopt the aspect of mutual respect for the concerns and interests of one another. This will result to the establishment of a strong bond and partnership in the two countries.
Great partnership
The United States and China will have a great partnership where the U.S. will accept the leading position of China in different areas that include foreign trade volume, economy size, Asia economic impact, and diplomatic move (Joseph 12). As such, the countries will engage in a power sharing treaty where there will be contribution of the nations in their respective strengths to different functional areas. The nations are also headed to a state of selective collaboration and close consultation in financial and economic affairs (Betts 1). These will be based on the level and degree of the partnership agreements, which will be established between these two countries on several factors.
Conclusion
China and the U.S. will have a future relationship, which is characterized by intensive competition, rivalry, and lack of trust. As such, the countries will be at conflict and will focus on protecting their boundaries so that there is no interference on the functionality of their economies, politics, and social activities. However, critics hold the perspective that these two nations will be characterized of a great partnership among them and mutual cooperation. Hence, the countries will relate and interact on different levels in society to address common problems. Nevertheless, it will be complex for these nations to assume the relationship, which is fostered by the critics.
Works Cited
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Firedberg, Aaron. The future of U.S.-China relations: Is conflict inevitable? International
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Mead, Walter. The Jacksonian Tradition and American foreign policy. The national interest. 58.
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