China's rapid military and economic growth has fueled a steady stream of analysis and debate about the PRC's motivations and objectives regarding the United States. Yet until now, there has not been a sustained, single-authored assessment in English of China's expanding influence in Asia in the post-Cold War period. Respected analyst Robert Sutter draws on his extensive experience in the region to explore the current debate on China's rise and its meaning for U.S. interests by examining in detail China's current and historical relations with the key countries of Asia. He finds a range of motivations underlying China's recent initiatives. Some incline Chinese policy to be cooperative with the United States, others to be competitive and confrontational. Sutter's nuanced study shows that U.S. power and influence continue to dominate Asia and play a critical role in determining which approach is taken by China. He argues that the Bush administration's policies of firmness and cooperation have encouraged China to stay on a generally constructive track in the region.
Robert G. Sutter was an analyst of Asian and Pacific affairs and American foreign policy for the U.S. government for over thirty years. He is now professor of practice in international affairs at the Elliott School of George Washington University.
Table of Contents
List of Abbreviations
ix
Acknowledgments
xi
Introduction
1
1
Salient Determinants of China's Recent Approach to Asia and its Implications for the United States
25
2
Recent Chinese Domestic and Foreign Policies and Priorities
51
3
China's Relations with the United States
77
4
China's Relations with Russia
107
5
Relations with Japan
125
6
Relations with the Korean Peninsula
155
7
China-Southeast Asia Relations
177
8
Relations with Taiwan
209
9
Relations with South Asia
231
10
Relations with Central Asia
249
Conclusion: China's "Peaceful Approach" to Asia and Its Implications for the United States
265
Appendix
Reactions by Australian Specialists to the Key Findings of This Study
