As the previous chapters have shown, US and China relations have undergone significant transformative changes since the end of World War II, till 2025. From wartime alliances to Cold War antagonism, rapprochement, economic interdependence, and contemporary strategic rivalry, each phase reflects the interplay of global power structures, ideological contests, and national interests. The post-war estrangement and Cold War antagonism that lasted from the end of the second world war till 1971, had shifted from being allies as the US supported the Nationalist government in China during the Chinese Civil War, to one marked by mutual suspicion and hostility, made worse by China’s decision to involve itself in the Korean War against US-led forces. Likewise, the rapprochement that occurred from 1971 till 1979, was driven by strategic alignment (1971–1979), as the US sort to take advantage of the Sino-Soviet split to engage with China as a counterbalance to Soviet power. The 1980s to the 2000, saw both sides take measures to enhance their economic engagement. China began implementing market reforms and even opening to foreign investment, which some might have hopefully, and mistakenly misconstrued as an abandonment of socialism. In the hope that these economic reforms would eventually lead to political reforms, the US proceeded to support China’s integration into the global economy, culminating in China’s accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO) in 2001. Despite economic cooperation, strategic tensions persisted, particularly over issues like Taiwan, human rights, and trade imbalances; issues that most of the leadership were willing to overlook, for a time. Since 2008, there has been increasing competition between the two countries. The US has expressed concerns over China’s military modernization, technological advancements, and assertive foreign policy. Under Trump, the US had taken concrete steps to address their concerns, most notably by initiating a trade war in 2018. The situation has indeed worsened, as the US, feeling the threat that China now presents, has implemented measures to restrict China’s access to critical technologies, citing national security concerns. Trump2.0 has seen far more drastic measures being implemented. China has not lain down, but has retaliated too with its own set of measures, including sanctioning the export of rare earths that the western world needs. It is yet uncertain whether this is a by-product of long-term structural changes within the system, requiring geo-strategic recalibration, or whether it is a problem unique to Trump’s approach to foreign policy.

Roles and Relationships: Underlying Factors

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发表日期：

2025年

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Peter Brian M. Wang

摘要

As the previous chapters have shown, US and China relations have undergone significant transformative changes since the end of World War II, till 2025. From wartime alliances to Cold War antagonism, rapprochement, economic interdependence, and contemporary strategic rivalry, each phase reflects the interplay of global power structures, ideological contests, and national interests. The post-war estrangement and Cold War antagonism that lasted from the end of the second world war till 1971, had shifted from being allies as the US supported the Nationalist government in China during the Chinese Civil War, to one marked by mutual suspicion and hostility, made worse by China’s decision to involve itself in the Korean War against US-led forces. Likewise, the rapprochement that occurred from 1971 till 1979, was driven by strategic alignment (1971–1979), as the US sort to take advantage of the Sino-Soviet split to engage with China as a counterbalance to Soviet power. The 1980s to the 2000, saw both sides take measures to enhance their economic engagement. China began implementing market reforms and even opening to foreign investment, which some might have hopefully, and mistakenly misconstrued as an abandonment of socialism. In the hope that these economic reforms would eventually lead to political reforms, the US proceeded to support China’s integration into the global economy, culminating in China’s accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO) in 2001. Despite economic cooperation, strategic tensions persisted, particularly over issues like Taiwan, human rights, and trade imbalances; issues that most of the leadership were willing to overlook, for a time. Since 2008, there has been increasing competition between the two countries. The US has expressed concerns over China’s military modernization, technological advancements, and assertive foreign policy. Under Trump, the US had taken concrete steps to address their concerns, most notably by initiating a trade war in 2018. The situation has indeed worsened, as the US, feeling the threat that China now presents, has implemented measures to restrict China’s access to critical technologies, citing national security concerns. Trump2.0 has seen far more drastic measures being implemented. China has not lain down, but has retaliated too with its own set of measures, including sanctioning the export of rare earths that the western world needs. It is yet uncertain whether this is a by-product of long-term structural changes within the system, requiring geo-strategic recalibration, or whether it is a problem unique to Trump’s approach to foreign policy.