Sino-US Competition: Is Liberal Democracy an Asset or Liability?

Area of Science:

• International Relations
• Political Science
• US Foreign Policy

Background:

• Recent scholarship highlights the escalating challenge posed by China to the United States.
• Existing literature primarily focuses on the US-China rivalry.
• There is a need for a synthesized approach to US foreign policy in response to China's rise.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize current literature on US-China relations and the challenge of China's rise.
• To evaluate the role of liberal democracy in shaping US strategy against China's authoritarianism.
• To propose adaptive foreign policy strategies for the United States.

Main Methods:

• Review and synthesis of five recent books on US-China relations.
• Analysis of historical lessons from US foreign policy.
• Application of flexible network theory to international relations.

Main Results:

• The books reviewed offer varying perspectives on US foreign policy adjustments.
• Historical US foreign policy offers insights into managing great power competition.
• Flexible network theory provides a framework for understanding adaptive strategies.

Conclusions:

• Liberal democracy is crucial for the US to formulate an effective strategy against China's authoritarianism.
• The US needs to adapt its foreign policy to address the complex challenge from China.
• A synthesized approach, informed by history and theory, is essential for navigating US-China relations.