THE RISING CHINA: THREAT OR OPPORTUNITY FOR US?

Abstract

China’s rise has set it on a course to overtake the US-dominated international system at some juncture this century. China’s rise is now an unavoidable issue for US policymakers, notwithstanding whether they consider it as aggressive or welcoming. Debates amongst analysts, political commentators and policymakers have spawned conflicting set of ideas about China’s rise as either a threat or an opportunity for the US. Some analysts assume that with China’s ascendancy, the historical model of power transitions involving great power clash is expected to continue. Power-transition theory (PTT) expects the US to endeavor to preserve the status quo by restraining the power of rising challenger and broadening its relative power advantage over it. However, the actual US’ policy responses have not only contravened PTT anticipations, rather, it has also largely welcomed the rise of China and facilitated its integration into the international system. At key junctures in the bilateral relationship, the US’ policy responses have mainly determined by the interpretations which characterize China a considerable responsible international actor and trimmed down threat concerns. Regardless of the pervasive threat rhetoric in the US, key policymakers often view China’s rise as offering significant economic and political opportunities