Special Forum

In the shadow of the recent summit between Donald Trump and Xi Jinping, onlookers are eager for clues to the future of Sino–US relations and US policy in the Asia–Pacific. In the past context of a fairly stable US policy approach, China has developed entrenched perceptions of US policy, grounded in China’s assessment of its own national interests. Even when Sino–US relations are at their best, many in China tend to “blame” the United States—or, at a minimum, distrust it—for reasons that reflect basic divergences between the two countries’ national identities. This article assesses critiques of US global, regional, and bilateral policies through four analytical lenses: ideology, international relations, civilizational values, and regime stability. Though the future of US policy is uncertain, China’s national identity will continue to drive its perceptions of its national interests and shape its views of bilateral Sino–US relations, the Asia–Pacific region, and its position in the international system. The blame game is unlikely to end anytime soon.

Read full article at www.theasanforum.org.
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