The United States and China in Power Transition - Strategic Studies ...

more proactive than the tao-guang yang-hui, which is
primarily about avoiding confrontation. Thus in addition
to developing its capabilities through the modernization
mission, China will engage with the United
States, confront the United States if necessary, but stop
short of going to war. It is a strategy loaded with Sun
Tzu’s teaching, the most familiar of which is about
subjugating the enemy without fighting.
U.S. Options.
The “law of physics” informs us that the United
States and China should not go to war against each
other. However, as discussed in this analysis, the two
nations have plenty of reasons to do otherwise. Perhaps
the most fundamental conflict is over the way of
government between the two nations. For well over 60
years, the United States has been at odds with China
over its government and its conduct in domestic as
well as international affairs. The conflict is in essence
part of the Cold War the United States fought with the
Soviet Union. The Soviet communists are long gone.
Yet the Chinese Communist Party has preserved its
authoritarian rule and relied on that rule to bring
about China’s rise in the last 30 years. The economic
success has given the CCP’s rule a new lease on life.
The Chinese leaders are determined to continue their
authoritarian government in China for the next 30
years or longer.
The United States, however, insists that China’s
authoritarian regime, no matter how useful it is for
China’s development, is a transitional fix. The United
States will not only continue to take issue with China
over its repressive government, but will also engage
with China in attempts to manage its rise, shape the
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