From Stakeholding to Strategic Reassurance: Sino-US Relations in the Climate of Declining Hegemony

　　Abstract: The discipline of international relations have caught on to US’ constant policy towards China: in the last five years, the policy has transited from “stakeholding” to “Chimerica”, then “G2” before settling at the present “strategic reassurance”. This phenomenon is closely related to the declining hegemonic power of the US; in order to prolong its hegemony, the US is keen to retain China within its hegemonic system. Confronted with the volatility of international affairs, China needs to be extremely cautious about its strategic choice. Since the lessons of history show that a standoff against the hegemon is inherently self-defeating, China can only choose to cooperate. Institutionalized bilateral dialogues are the key to better Sino-US relations, and should be China’s primary focus in its relations with the US. At the same time, China needs to keep a lookout for, and reminds the US on, potential pitfalls in the latter’s policy towards China.

　　Authors: LIANG Yabin, PhD Candidate, School of International Relations, Peking University