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Chinese Response to Obama’s Rebalancing to Asia Strategy

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Abstract

A more confident China possessing the substantive might necessary to counterbalance American influence is already within reach as in the case of the formation of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank. Sino-American cooperation on functional issues and increasing people-to-people exchanges is only one facet of a new model of major-power relations. Strategic mistrust continues to grow as China continues its rise and the USA remains committed to being a resident power in the Asia-Pacific. China and the USA may be able to avoid the Thucydides trap, a Spartan and Athenian confrontation as in the Peloponnesian War, but they need to constantly manage disputes and sensitive issues in a constructive manner.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    1. Kenneth Lieberthal and Wang Jisi. Addressing U.S.-China Strategic Distrust, John L. Thornton Center Monograph Series, no. 4 (Washington, DC: John L. Thornton China Center at Brookings, 2012), vii–ix, http://www.brookings.edu/~/media/research/files/papers/2012/3/30-us-china-lieberthal/0330_china_lieberthal.pdf

  2. 2.

    2. David Lampton, “A New Type of Major-Power Relationship: Seeking a Durable Foundation for U.S.-China Ties,” Asia Policy, no. 16 (July 2013): 51–68; Robert B. Zoellick, “U.S., China and Thucydides,” National Interest no. 126 (July/August 2013): 22–30.

  3. 3.

    3. Rudy deLeon and Yang Jiemian, eds., U.S.-China Relations: Toward a New Model of Major Power Relationship (Washington, DC: Center for American Progress, 2014), https://cdn.americanprogress.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/ChinaReport-Full.pdf

  4. 4.

    4. Elizabeth C. Economy, “China’s Imperial President: Xi Jinping Tightens His Grip,” Foreign Affairs 93, no. 6 (November/December 2014): 82.

  5. 5.

    5. Yang Jiechi, “Innovations in China’s Diplomatic Theory and Practice under New Circumstances,” Qiushi Journal English Edition (Central Committee of the Communist Party of China), January 1, 2014, http://english.qstheory.cn/magazine/201401/201401/t20140121_315115.htm

  6. 6.

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  7. 7.

    7. John Kerry, “Remarks on a 21st Century Pacific Partnership,” Tokyo Institute of Technology, Tokyo, Japan, April 15, 2013, http://www.state.gov/secretary/remarks/2013/04/207487.htm

  8. 8.

    8. “中美新型大國關係” [Sino-American New Model of Major Country Relationship], 新华网[Xinhuanet], June 7, 2013, http://big5.xinhuanet.com/gate/big5/news.xinhuanet.com/ziliao/2013-06/07/c_124827138.htm

  9. 9.

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  10. 10.

    10. Ibid.

  11. 11.

    11. Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China, “The Sixth Round of China-US Strategic and Economic Dialogue and the Fifth Round of China-US High-Level Consultation on People-to-People Exchange Open in Beijing Xi Jinping Attends and Addresses the Joint Opening Ceremony,” July 9, 2014, http://www.fmprc.gov.cn/mfa_eng/zxxx_662805/t1173485.shtml

  12. 12.

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  13. 13.

    13. White House, “Remarks by President Obama and President Xi Jinping of the People’s Republic of China After Bilateral Meeting,” June 8, 2013, http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2013/06/08/remarks-president-obama-and-president-xi-jinping-peoples-republic-china

  14. 14.

    14. White House, “Remarks by President Obama and President Xi Jinping of China Before Bilateral Meeting,” March 24, 2014, http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2014/03/24/remarks-president-obama-and-president-xi-jinping-china-bilateral-meeting

  15. 15.

    15. Wang Yi, “Toward a New Model of Major-Country Relations Between China and the United States” (speech, John L. Thornton China Center at the Brookings Institution, September 20, 2013), http://www.brookings.edu/events/2013/09/20-us-china-foreign-minister-wang-yi

  16. 16.

    16. Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China, “Wang Yi: We Hope that China and the United States Will Develop Sound Interactions in the Asia-Pacific,” January 9, 2014, http://www.fmprc.gov.cn/mfa_eng/wjdt_665385/zyjh_665391/t1116501.shtml

  17. 17.

    17. White House, “Remarks by Vice President Joe Biden and President Xi Jinping of the People’s Republic of China,” December 4, 2013, http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2013/12/04/remarks-vice-president-joe-biden-and-president-xi-jinping-peoples-republ

  18. 18.

    18. Yang Jiechi, “Concerning Peace and the Development of Humanity,” Foreign Policy, June 22, 2015, http://foreignpolicy.com/2015/06/22/china-united-states-xi-obama-yang-jiechi-strategic-economic-dialogue/

  19. 19.

    19. Stephen J. Hadley, “U.S.-China: A New Model of Great Power Relations” (lecture, Carnegie-Tsinghua Center for Global Policy, October 11, 2013), http://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/new-atlanticist/us-china-a-new-model-of-great-power-relations

  20. 20.

    20. Zoellick, “U.S., China and Thucydides,” 27.

  21. 21.

    21. Susan E. Rice, “America’s Future in Asia” (lecture, Georgetown University, November 20, 2013), http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2013/11/21/remarks-prepared-delivery-national-security-advisor-susan-e-rice

  22. 22.

    22. U.S. Department of State, “Press Availability in Beijing, China,” July 10, 2014, http://www.state.gov/secretary/remarks/2014/07/229019.htm

  23. 23.

    23. Jeffrey A. Bader, Obama and China’s Rise: An insider’s Account of America’s Asia strategy (Washington, DC: Brookings Institution Press, 2012), 23.

  24. 24.

    24. Michael S. Schmidt and David E. Sanger, “5 in China Army Face U.S. Charges of Cyberattacks,” New York Times, May 20, 2014, A1.

  25. 25.

    25. Cui Tiankai and Pang Hanzhao, “China-US Relations in China’s Overall Diplomacy in the New Era – On China and US Working Together to Build a New-Type Relationship Between Major Countries,” July 20, 2012, http://www.fmprc.gov.cn/ce/cggb/eng/gyzg/xwdt/t953682.htm

  26. 26.

    26. He Yafei, “The Trust Deficit: How the U.S. ‘Pivot’ to Asia Looks from Beijing,” Foreign Policy, May 13, 2013, http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2013/05/13/how_china_sees_the_us_pivot_to_asia

  27. 27.

    27. Yuan Peng and Robert Tyrer, The New Model of Major Power Relations in the Asia-Pacific (Washington, DC: Center for American Progress, 2014), http://www.americanprogress.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/China_AsiaPacificPaper.pdf; Wang Dong and Yin Chengzhi, “China’s Assessments of U.S. Rebalancing/Pivot to Asia,” in China’s Power and Asian Security, eds. Mingjiang Li and Kalyan M. Kemburi (New York: Routledge, 2015), 65–84.

  28. 28.

    28. Wang and Yin, “China’s Assessments of U.S. Rebalancing/Pivot to Asia,” 74; Chi Wang, Obama’s Challenge to China: The Pivot to Asia (Burlington, VT: Ashgate, 2015), 91.

  29. 29.

    29. Wang Jisi, “’西进’: 中国地缘战略的再平衡” [‘Marching Westwards’: The Rebalancing of China’s Geostrategy], 国际战略研究简报 [International and Strategic Report], no. 73 (2012): 8, http://www.ciss.pku.edu.cn/ueditor/net/upload/file/20140813/6354349055523079636603902.pdf; Yun Sun, “March West: China’s Response to the U.S. Rebalancing,” Up Front (blog), Brookings Institution, January 31, 2013, http://www.brookings.edu/blogs/up-front/posts/2013/01/31-china-us-sun

  30. 30.

    30. Camille Brugier, “China’s Way: the New Silk Road,” ISSUE Briefs, no. 14, May 16, 2014, http://www.iss.europa.eu/uploads/media/Brief_14_New_Silk_Road.pdf; Simon Denyer, “China Bypasses American ‘New Silk Road’ with Two of Its Own,” Washington Post, October 13, 2013; Shannon Tiezzi, “China’s ‘New Silk Road’ Vision Revealed,” Diplomat, May 9, 2014, http://thediplomat.com/2014/05/chinas-new-silk-road-vision-revealed/

  31. 31.

    31. Shujie Yao, “AIIB Shows Center of World Economic Gravity Moving East,” China Daily (USA), June 30, 2015, http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/opinion/2015-06/30/content_21140163.htm; Economy, “China’s Imperial President,” 88.

  32. 32.

    32. “China’s Big Plunge in Pakistan,” New York Times, April 23, 2015, A26.

  33. 33.

    33. “China’s Putin Fever,” Global Times (Beijing), July 3, 2014, 10–11.

  34. 34.

    34. Jane Perlez, “China and Russia, in a Display of Unity, Hold Naval Exercises,” New York Times, July 11, 2013, A8.

  35. 35.

    35. Jane Perlez, “China and Russia to Hold Mediterranean Exercises,” New York Times, May 1, 2015, A8.

  36. 36.

    36. “Xi’s Keynote Speech at CICA Summit Receives High Praises,” People’s Daily Online, May 23, 2014, http://english.people.com.cn/n/2014/0523/c98649-8731334.html

  37. 37.

    37. Matthew Rosenberg, “Threat of Russian Aggression and Arms Is Singled Out by Joint Chiefs Nomine,” New York Times, July 10, 2015, A17; John J. Mearsheimer, “Getting Ukraine Wrong,” International New York Times, March 14, 2014; Leslie H. Gelb and Dimitri K. Simes, “Beware Collusion of China, Russia,” National Interest, no. 126 (July/August 2013): 7; Douglas Schoen and Melik Kaylan, The Russia-China Axis: The New Cold War and America’s Crises of Leadership (New York: Encounter books, 2014), Chap. 1.

  38. 38.

    38. Jane Perlez, “China and Russia Reach 30-Year Gas Deal,” New York Times, May 22, 2014, A1; Neil MacFarquhar and David M. Herszenhorn, “Ukraine Crisis Pushing Putin Toward China,” New York Times, May 20, 2014, A1.

  39. 39.

    39. Xinhua, “Belt and Road Initiative to Promote SCO Economic Cooperation,” China Daily, July 10, 2015, http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/business/2015-07/10/content_21246636.htm

  40. 40.

    40. Daniel R. Russel, “ASEAN and America: Partners for the Future” (lecture, Commonwealth Club, San Francisco, CA, July 28, 2014), http://www.state.gov/p/eap/rls/rm/2014/07/229872.htm

  41. 41.

    41. Xinhua, “Full Text: Premier Li Gives Joint Written Interview to Media from ASEAN Countries,” China Daily, October 9, 2013, http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2013livisiteastasia/2013-10/09/content_17016072.htm

  42. 42.

    42. U.S. Department of State, “South China Sea,” August 3, 2012, http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2012/08/196022.htm

  43. 43.

    43. America’s Future in Asia: From Rebalancing to Managing Sovereignty Disputes: Hearing before the Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, House of Representatives, 113th Congress, 2nd Session, February 5, 2014, (Washington, DC: Government Printing Office, 2014), 14.

  44. 44.

    44. U.S. Department of State, “South China Sea.” See also Jane Perlez, “Kerry Presses China to Abide by Maritime Laws to Ease Tension,” New York Times, July 10, 2014, A12; Austin Ramzy, “A View From the Sea, as China Flexes Muscle,” New York Times, August 10, 2014, A10.

  45. 45.

    45. Xinhua, “Full Text of Chinese Premier Wen’s Statement at 14th China-ASEAN Summit,” People’s Daily Online, November 18, 2011, http://en.people.cn/90883/7649885.html

  46. 46.

    46. Lolita C. Baldor and Matthew Pennington, “Pentagon Chief Criticizes Beijing’s South China Sea Moves,” Associated Press, May 30, 2015, http://news.yahoo.com/us-says-china-artillery-vehicles-artificial-island-093552171--politics.html

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Lin, Cy. (2016). Chinese Response to Obama’s Rebalancing to Asia Strategy. In: Huang, D. (eds) Asia Pacific Countries and the US Rebalancing Strategy. Palgrave Macmillan, New York. https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-349-93453-9_6

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