The United States and China in Power Transition (Enlarged Edition)

The most profound change the United States and China have experienced in their relations in the past 30 years is perhaps the onset of an apparent power transition between the two nations. This potentially titanic change was set in motion as a result of China's genuine and phenomenal economic development, and its impact on the United States and the U.S.-led international system has been growing steadily. This perceived power transition process will continue to be a defining factor in the U.S.-China relations during the next 30 years. As China's economic, political, cultural, and military influences continue to grow globally, what kind of a global power will China become? What kind of a relationship will China develop with the United States? How does the United States maintain its leadership in world affairs and develop a working relationship with China so that China can join hands with the United States to shape the world in constructive ways?