U.S.-China Relations: An Affirmative Agenda, A Responsible Course

Report of an Independent Task Force, sponsored by the Council on Foreign Relations, US, 2007.
Main authors: Dennis C. Blair, Carla A. Hills, Frank Sampson Jannuzi (project director)No relationship will be as important to the twenty-first century as the
one between the United States, the world’s great power, and China,
the world’s rising power. China’s development is directly transforming
the lives of one-fifth of the world’s population and is otherwise influenc-
ing billions more. China’s rapid economic growth, expanding regional
and global influence, continued military modernization, and lagging
political reform are also shifting the geopolitical terrain and contributing
to uncertainty about China’s future course. After thirty-five years of
‘‘engagement,’’ the United States and China have a relationship that
was truly unimaginable two generations ago. At the same time, there
are some Americans who believe that China’s strategic interests are
incompatible with those of the United States.