Sino-American Relations in the Post-Cold War Era

Abstract

The disintegration of the Soviet bloc, as well as the Soviet Union (USSR) itself, removed the strategic rationale that formed the basis for Sino-American relations for almost two decades. When the USSR was a common threat for both powers, realpolitik determined that strategic relationship prevailed over other considerations such as ideological conflicts, the nature of political institutions, and mutual economic interests. With the advent of the post-Cold War era, Sino-American relations need to be built on new bases. The vicissitudes of Sino-American relations since 1989 support the diagnosis of Harry Harding, that the two countries are bound by cooperation, competition and conflict in all aspects of their relations.¹ However, the question of the extent to which the opportunities of cooperation between the two countries in a certain area are affected or sacrificed by competition and conflict in other areas remains to be examined. It is obvious that national security issues and economic interests are becoming the prime considerations for the foreign policy decision-makers of both nations, thus further development of Sino-American relations should seek better understanding and common ground on these two basic factors. But the Chinese perception of the hegemonic nature of the only superpower, which seeks to promote its own (Western) values of democracy and human rights, further complicates the difficult relations in the beginning of this post-Cold War period.