The 21st Century U.S. Chinese Relationship: Partnership and Cooperation or Conflict and Competition
Abstract
The transition from the Cold War's familiar, well-understood containment strategy to a new international security environment produces formidable challenges. Secretary of Defense Perry identifies national security interests that include prevention of proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, maintaining regional stability, and avoiding the re-establishment of an antagonistic global rivalry with Russia. Former Ambassador Vernon Walters highlights three great challenges the United States faces in the future, two of which are very similar to Secretary Perry's: to prevent proliferation and prevent Russia from returning to a revisionist Soviet Union. Of Significant importance, however, is Ambassador Walters' third challenge: prevent China from becoming the 'Soviet Union' of the next century. Given the thousands of nuclear weapons still possessed by Russia, President Clinton emphasizes that itis in the United States' national interest to 'work with Russia to lower the nuclear threshold, to support the development of Russia as a stable democracy and to help it develop a healthy market economy that can benefit both our peoples'. As important as a stable Russia is to the international security environment, the United States must not become so 'Russo-centric' that it loses perspective on other great nations -- such as China. President Clinton's goals of lowering the nuclear threshold and developing a stable democracy and healthy market economy are as important for China is a key actor with respect to the United States and the global economic, political, and security environment -- and will become even more important in the future.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 1994
- Accession Number
- ADA280807
Entities
People
- Quentin L. Peterson
Organizations
- Air War College