Important ideas
There are many points that need to be mentioned in Sino-US relations. I have selected many academic papers to interpret Sino-US relations from various perspectives such as politics, economy, culture and military.
The Sino-U.S. Case
The first very important point is that the focal article gives a decision-making model for China and the United States, which is the possible choices of the two countries when facing different problems. Combining China’s cultural, economic and psychological factors, the United States also considered various factors and finally discovered that major friction or war between the two countries may be caused by a lack of restraint, and some small misjudgments can lead to major wars.
China’s objective attitude is to increase its influence in Asia and ensure the integrity and security of China’s territory. The objective attitude of the United States is to maintain global leadership and ensure that it does not fall into a global war or a territorial war. However, there will be misjudgments on both sides. For example, the United States is afraid that China will become stronger and invade other countries. China believes that the United States is against China and may risk war against Taiwan or around the territory at any time. Then some small frictions and conflicts in other countries may lead to bigger mistakes. Therefore, rigorous communication and restraint are good ways to avoid war. At the same time, the article also pointed out that some fundamental differences between China and the United States cannot be changed, namely political and even cultural differences.
China has its own unique values and cultural system with a long history, while the United States also has very profound cultural tendencies and traditions. This soft friction will exist. But there are also objective frictions in military interests, trade competition, military competition, and competition for influence that the two superpowers cannot avoid. In general, the view given by this American diplomatic expert is that these differences and competitions are allowed to exist, but considerable restraint should be maintained on major issues such as war and humanitarian issues. Cooperation, trade, academic and cultural exchanges are the most objective benefits to the people of the two countries.
The Past as Looking Glass
The second important point is that history can always give us some reflection and inspiration. In Project 1, I learned about a specific historical time between China and the United States, from confrontation to cooperation, and trade and communication serve as a bridge. The author(Johannes Han-Yin Chang 2000) also mentions the Impact of Perceived Interest， the concept of “interests” in the social sciences, particularly in relation to the United States and China. It highlights the ability of the concept of interests to connect individuals’ and groups’ life conditions with their beliefs and actions.
The author explores the perceived interests of both countries, which may or may not align with their objective interests. The period from 1949 to 1970 is mentioned as a time when the interests of the US and China were fundamentally incongruent. China, under Mao, pursued a Marxist-Leninist agenda to eliminate capitalism, while the US aimed to preserve the capitalist system and its own status（Han-Yin Chang 2000）. As a result, the US adopted containment strategies against China, including diplomatic isolation, trade embargoes, and support for separatists. The author, Johannes Han-Yin Chang, is introduced as a Senior Lecturer at the National University of Singapore, with research interests in symbolic interactionism, social stratification, sociology of education, culture and values, and international relations. The article is from an article published in American Studies International in June 2000.