Thirty Years of China-U.S. Relations

"Thirty Years of China-U.S. Relations is a thought-provoking collection that will prod even informed readers to rethink some of their most basic premises about Chinese foreign policy."-Edward Friedman, University of Wisconsin

"This collection of essays by both well-established and younger scholars, mainly from China and elsewhere in east Asia, provides substantively rich and theoretically informed perspectives on the development of relations between China and the United States in the three decades since normalization. It is especially timely now when Sino-American relations, and perhaps world history generally, have reached a new turning point."---Peter R. Moody, Jr., University of Notre Dame

The year 2009 marked the thirtieth anniversary of normalization of Sino-U.S. relations. Over the past thirty years, bilateral relations have developed by twists and turns. It has not been until recent years that some stability and forward-looking exchanges have returned to the central stage, though tension, grievances, and mistrust continue to persist. Washington has encouraged China to become a "responsible stakeholder" in world affairs, while China has urged the United States to work with China to build a "harmonious world." Both sides want to work together to solve their differences through dialogue and negotiation. In the wake of the worldwide financial crisis of 2008 and 2009, China has contributed greatly in financing the crumbling U.S. financial market and lent a helping hand in stabilizing the world economy. Nevertheless, the foundation of the relationship remains very fragile and the long-term prospect for a constructive cooperative relationship is still full of uncertainties. For many Americans, China's increasing global reach and growing political and economic influence constitute the greatest challenge to U.S. world dominance. As a result, some perceive China's rise as a threat to Americans' core national interests.

The recent changes in the global geostrategic landscape and economic interdependence have suggested that some new ideas, factors, conditions, and elements are shaping the relations between the two countries. The task of Thirty Years of China-U.S. Relations: Analytical Approaches and Contemporary Issues is to explore these factors, issues, and challenges and their influence upon Sino-U.S. relations in the twenty-first century.

Sujian Guo is professor in the Department of Political Science and director of the Center for U.S.-China Policy Studies at San Francisco State University.
Baogang Guo is associate professor of political science at Dalton State College and president of the Association of Chinese Political Studies.