"3+1 Cs": American Cooperation, Competition, and Countering + Critical Engagement with China

Abstract

The relationship between the United States and China has been exhaustively studied since their first interaction. As it continued to rise, China started to pose a threat to American values and influence abroad. China’s fast-paced rise to power left the rest of the world in shock, as its economy skyrocketed, and its military grew in prominence. Specifically, as China began to engage more frequently in the international community, the United States’ leadership saw it as an enemy, instead of a strategic competitor. Ideologically, the two countries were the antithesis of each other. The United States championed democratic values, such as freedom of speech and the ability to vote, in other countries. On the other hand, China attempted to use its newfound power and finances towards stability in the surrounding regions as a rule-maker in the new world order. Because it rejected the American-led international power, China and its continuous rise became a crisis for scholars to focus on. China policy scholars and policymakers have traditionally relied on the dyad of hardline versus a softer line on China even as the crises change and evolve. This thesis addresses this gap in scholarship, building a new model for effective engagement with China in a dynamic international context. The new model proposed is the 3+1 framework. This thesis expands on existing literature regarding the Cs for China, whether that be cooperation, containment, competition, etc. These Cs represent the ways American leadership can approach China. Using three distinct policy area case studies, I show that the current American approach to dealing with China of choosing between the existing models is outdated and instead must incorporate a number of these Cs in their policy. The case studies focus on climate change policies, Covid-19 diplomacy, and human rights violations. These case studies are used to showcase each of the 3 Cs: cooperation, competition, and counter. In addition to the 3 Cs, I also prioritize the use of mutual critique between the United States and China to create an open dialogue that fosters goodwill and trust. To this extent, I demonstrate why the United States must leverage its soft power influence to engage China based on the balance of power logic and China’s strategic goals. To further interact with the existing literature, I demonstrate why multilateral actions will achieve the best results, based on the balance of power logic. Recently, the United States has gone about its actions within the international community in a unilateral fashion. By depicting the poor reception from the global community and China specifically, I argue that the United States must approach major crises through a multilateral institution to maintain control of its American imperialist image. Through this new method, the United States can begin to pursue a nuanced and fluid bilateral relationship with China.