Strategic Reassurance and Resolve: U.S.-China Relations in the Twenty-First Century

Description

After forty years of largely cooperative Sino-U.S. relations, policymakers, politicians, and pundits on both sides of the Pacific see growing tensions between the United States and China. Some go so far as to predict a future of conflict, driven by the inevitable rivalry between an established and a rising power, and urge their leaders to prepare n

James Steinberg is dean of the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs and professor of social science, international affairs, and law at Syracuse University, and former deputy secretary of state in the Obama administration. Michael E. O'Hanlon is a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution who specializes in national security policy.

"Strategic Reassurance and Resolve furnishes an important and wide-ranging toolkit to keep the conversation between the U.S. and China going."--Ali Wyne, Wall Street Journal "[T]he points Steinberg and O'Hanlon make deserve the attention of all readers interested in the connection between U.S. and China going forward."--Publishers Weekly "[S]cholarly as well as accessible, marking out the potential points of conflict while avoiding the glib certainties of much commentary on the implications of China's rise. What sets this book apart, however, is its intelligent effort to chart a feasible path for the relationship that could prevent inevitable competition hardening into unavoidable conflict... If policy makers on either side of the Pacific are looking for a handbook--and they should be--Steinberg and O'Hanlon have written one."--Philip Stephens, Financial Times "Steinberg and O'Hanlon offer a realistic assessment of the challenges ahead in the US-China relationship... Ultimately, Steinberg and O'Hanlon's great contribution is in laying out a nuanced, yet clear-eyed plan to reduce the risk of great power conflict in the 21st century's most consequential bilateral relationship. As the authors themselves argue, the United States' and China's long-term intentions are unknown, unknowable, and dynamic. But if there exists an approach to avoiding dangerous rivalry and promoting stability in spite of this, it is Strategic Reassurance and Resolve."--Mira Rapp-Hooper, National Interest "This book is for those who want a thorough explanation of the security, defense, and strategic issues facing China and the U.S."--South China Morning Post "James Steinberg and Michael O'Hanlon argue persuasively."--Shannon Tiezzi, Diplomat "[T]his readable title is a must for anyone interested in U.S. foreign policy and U.S.-China relations."--Library Journal "This is an important book that should be read by anyone interested in US-China relations today."--Lanxin Xiang, Survival "Not only tackles in sustained depth the contemporary security challenges that the United States and China face ... but also presents a general security framework that is applicable across other bilateral or multilateral international relations debates. Acknowledging but ultimately eschewing the role of economic and political relations in the determination of security, Steinberg and O'Hanlon present a sustained, informed and practical study of military and strategic issues and their potential resolution for the United States and China."--Tyler Rooker, Pacific Affairs "This book deserves to be widely read and discussed. Steinberg and O'Hanlon have made an important contribution in advancing the dialogue on strategic relations between the United States and China."--Andrew Scobell, Political Science Quarterly