Navigating the Turbulent Waters: An In-Depth Study of US-China Geopolitical Rivalry

Zahoor Ahmad Dar; Shahid Javid

doi:10.30560/les.v1n1p1

Zahoor Ahmad Dar Department of Political Science, University of Kashmir, Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, India
Shahid Javid Department of History, University of Annamalai, Tamil Nadu, India

DOI: https://doi.org/10.30560/les.v1n1p1

Keywords: China, USA, defense, economy, rivalry, international, geopolitical

Abstract

This manuscript explores the intricate and multifaceted geopolitical frictions between the United States and the People’s Republic of China, which have crystallized as a salient characteristic of contemporary international relations. By scrutinizing the historical antecedents of this rivalry, the discourse elucidates pivotal determinants exacerbating the burgeoning tensions, encompassing trade disputes, military posturing, and a burgeoning technological rivalry. This study endeavours to untangle the intricacies of US-China relations and their ramifications for global equilibrium through a rigorous analysis of diplomatic overtures, space race, and security dilemmas. Furthermore, the paper assesses the agency of regional actors and multilateral institutions in modulating the dynamics of this rivalry. Finally, this study’s evaluation aspires to furnish insights into prospective trajectories for conflict resolution and cooperative engagement, underscoring the paramount significance of dialogue and strategic management in navigating the complexities engendered by this critical geopolitical milieu.

References

Allison, G., & Glick-Unterman, J. (2022). The 21st century’s great military rivalry. Prism, 10(1), 2–21.
Allison, G., Klyman, K., Barbesino, K., & Yen, H. (2021). The great tech rivalry: China vs. the US. Science Diplomacy, 73.
Erickson, A. S. (2019). US-China military-to-military relations. Asia Policy, 14(3), 123–144. https://doi.org/10.1353/asp.2019.0041
Gallagher, N. (2019). China on arms control, nonproliferation, and strategic stability. Centre for International and Security Studies at Maryland.
Goldstein, A. (2021). Rivalry and security in a new era for US-China relations. In After Engagement: Dilemmas in US-China Security Relations (pp. 1–47).
Goldstein, L. J. (2015). Meeting China halfway: How to defuse the emerging US-China rivalry. Georgetown University Press. https://doi.org/10.1353/book39628
Goldstein, L. J., & Kozyrev, V. (2020). China-Russia military cooperation and the emergent US-China rivalry: Implications and recommendations for US national security. Journal of Peace and War Studies, 2, 24–48.
Kennedy, A. B., & Lim, D. J. (2018). The innovation imperative: Technology and US–China rivalry in the twenty-first century. International Affairs, 94(3), 553–572. https://doi.org/10.1093/ia/iiy044
Kim, M. H. (2019). A real driver of US–China trade conflict: The Sino–US competition for global hegemony and its implications for the future. International Trade, Politics and Development, 3(1), 30–40. https://doi.org/10.1108/ITPD-02-2019-003
Korolev, A. (2018). On the verge of an alliance: Contemporary China-Russia military cooperation. Asian Security. https://doi.org/10.1080/14799855.2018.1463991
Lewis, J. A. (2004). China as a military space competitor. Center for Strategic and International Studies, 9.
Medeiros, E. S. (2001). Rebuilding bilateral consensus: Assessing US‐China arms control and nonproliferation achievements. The Nonproliferation Review, 8(1), 131–140. https://doi.org/10.1080/10736700108436844
Mirrlees, T. A. N. N. E. R. (2024). The US and China’s digital tech war: A new rivalry within and beyond the US empire. Socialist Register, 60(A New Global Geometry), 105–140.
Modebadze, V. (2020). US-China rivalry for global hegemony. Journal of Liberty and International Affairs, 6(2), 167–173. https://doi.org/10.47305/JLIA2020167m
Rolf, S., & Schindler, S. (2023). The US–China rivalry and the emergence of state platform capitalism. Environment and Planning A: Economy and Space, 55(5), 1255–1280. https://doi.org/10.1177/0308518X221146545
Ross, R. S. (2020). It’s not a cold war: Competition and cooperation in US–China relations. China International Strategy Review, 2(1), 63–72. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42533-020-00038-8
Saunders, P. C., & Bowie, J. G. (2016). US–China military relations: Competition and cooperation. Journal of Strategic Studies, 39(5–6), 662–684. https://doi.org/10.1080/01402390.2016.1221818
Scobell, A. (2018). The South China Sea and US-China rivalry. Political Science Quarterly, 133(2), 199–224. https://doi.org/10.1002/polq.12772
Scobell, A. (2021). Constructing a US-China rivalry in the Indo-Pacific and beyond. In China’s Big Power Ambition under Xi Jinping (pp. 203–218). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003198871-13
Shambaugh, D. (2018). US-China rivalry in Southeast Asia: Power shift or competitive coexistence? International Security, 42(4), 85–127. https://doi.org/10.1162/isec_a_00314
Steinbock, D. (2018). US-China trade war and its global impacts. China Quarterly of International Strategic Studies, 4(4), 515–542. https://doi.org/10.1142/S2377740018500318
Sun, H. (2019). US-China tech war: Impacts and prospects. China Quarterly of International Strategic Studies, 5(2), 197–212. https://doi.org/10.1142/S237774001950012X
Wu, C. X. (2024). A bargaining theory of US–China economic rivalry: Differentiating the trade and technology wars. The Chinese Journal of International Politics, 17(4), 323–345. https://doi.org/10.1093/cjip/poae017
Yang, Y. (2022). The impact of US-China trade relations on global supply chains. Journal of Global Economic Analysis, 7(1), 54–73.
Yuan, J. D. (2003). Chinese responses to US missile defenses: Implications for arms control and regional security. The Nonproliferation Review, 10(1), 75–96.