As Obama Administration diplomats work to promote a friendlier Sino-American relationship, AEI senior research associate Michael Mazza warns in the latest Asian Outlook that Beijing has responded by taking a more assertive stance on military and diplomatic issues, increasing the possibility of a major regional confrontation. Mazza points to the Obama Administration’s willingness to "make concessions without expecting anything substantial in return" and Chinese economic growth as contributing factors to Beijing's increasingly assertive foreign policy.
Key points in this Outlook:
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During the two most recent U.S.-China spats, the Chinese media provided a stream of nationalistic, anti-American, and anti-imperialist reporting, designed to increase nationalistic and anti-American sentiment.
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Because of ever-present concerns about public perception of its legitimacy, the Chinese central government cannot afford to appear as weak when dealing with Washington.
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The relative economic performance of the two countries during and following the international financial crisis … convinced China that its political and economic systems are superior and that the United States is on the decline.
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Though U.S.-China ties tensed during the summer, the relationship's underlying fundamentals--economic interdependence, the desire to avoid conflict--remain strong. But times are ripe for a crisis that could truly strain Sino-American relations.
The full Asian Outlook, "Chess on the High Seas" is available here: http://www.aei.org/outlook/100982
Michael Mazza can be reached at michael.mazza@aei.org (202.828.6027). For all other media inquiries please contact Hampton Foushee at hampton.foushee@aei.org.
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