U.S. - China Relations

The United States and China have a very unique relationship. Many question the need of such a “complicated and volatile” association. (219 O'Brien & Williams) At some points in this rocky alliance, the U.S. and China have potentially faced tremendous risks. However, in my opinion, the greater the risk is the greater the opportunity and advantages are. One of the major rules of business is to protect one’s investment. This is exactly what China and the U.S. are trying to do: protect their interests. However, it is extremely interesting how the U.S. condemns China for their human rights violations and their lack of corporate responsibility when it comes to environmental protection and sustainability; yet under the Clinton Administration, the U.S. sold arms to China even though they were on a list of countries that the U.S. would not sell arms to.

In this globalized economy, everyone benefits off of each other. Juxtaposed, every country will fail or start to slip after one country starts to slip. It is like a domino effect. So with that said, of course the superpower of the world wants to reap all the possible benefits it possibly can. Furthermore, if the United States does not attempt to reap the benefits of one of the most vast economies in the world, it might as well slip back into an isolationist policy. For example, just take a look at the U.S. –Saudi relationship. In exchange for oil we give them weapons and security. It’s a similar situation with China. We consume China’s goods thus giving them a strong export market meaning their economy is boosted through this and jobs are created. All of this equates to the United States and China sharing “common interests in sustainable economic development."

“As the world’s biggest developed country and the world’s biggest developing country”, the U.S. and China share common interests. The Chinese Government invests in the U.S. Government allowing the U.S. to have low interest rates. It also allows China to experience a rise in the value of their money. This partnership allows China and the U.S. to speak frankly on issues of security, human rights, energy and other key issues affecting not only each country respectively but the entire international community. With United States hegemony at a sharp decline and potentially China’s hegemony on the rise, they both equally need this relationship. There are reports that China is the world's next superpower so for the U.S. to have strong economic ties with China is probably not a bad idea.

The benefits outweigh the risks, in my opinion, because with some reform the relationship will level off and grow stable. China will advance into a more liberal and open economy backed by the U.S. This will in turn help the U.S. and essentially the rest of the world. Right now the world might view the relationship as unstable and too risky. However, the entire world is still in recovery from the financial crisis that rocked the U.S. and China the hardest. With a strong action plan and careful moderation, the U.S. and China will forge a bi-lateral relationship that will prove to be beneficial to both sides.