Contrarian Perspective on China
Abstract
The current foreign policy of the United States toward the People's Republic of China is flawed because the United States lacks a consensus on how to define the relationship: friend, ally, competitor, partner, or adversary? The current policy approach is unfocused and disjointed. The cornerstone of U.S. policy is selective engagement mixed with anti-communism. The policy's goal is the rapid democratization of China's political system. As such, future threat analysis focuses on two elements of national power: economic growth and military expenditures. This is a one-sided perspective that fails to capture China's current international economic integration and the effects of globalization. Additionally, there are other critical realities to consider that analysts ignore to the point of insignificance. China's geopolitical history, cultural differences, and social and economic factors represent significant present and future problem areas of global reach. Furthermore, rapid regime change could result in significant regional and global instability. This paper examines this issue and suggests a new six-step strategic policy approach for China which centers on direct engagement, cooperative security, and accountability through transparency.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 19, 2006
- Accession Number
- ADA449742
Entities
People
- Jeffrey S. Johnson
Organizations
- United States Army War College