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

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POSSIBLE OUTCOMES FOR THE U.S.-CHINA<br />

POWER TRANSITION<br />

From past experience of power transitions <strong>and</strong><br />

the current state of the U.S.-<strong>Ch<strong>in</strong>a</strong> relations, we can<br />

discuss three possible outcomes: a deadly contest for<br />

change, a peaceful change of guard, or a reluctant accommodation.<br />

By many accounts, the last one will be<br />

the most likely scenario for the second stage of the<br />

U.S.-<strong>Ch<strong>in</strong>a</strong> power transition.<br />

Deadly Contest for Change?<br />

Deadly contest has been the rule of power transition<br />

<strong>in</strong> the past. However, there are good reasons<br />

that this will not be the case for the U.S.-<strong>Ch<strong>in</strong>a</strong> power<br />

transition. First, <strong>Ch<strong>in</strong>a</strong> <strong>and</strong> the <strong>United</strong> <strong>States</strong> are both<br />

aware of the power transition <strong>and</strong> agree to take measures<br />

to manage this evolv<strong>in</strong>g process. <strong>The</strong> goodwill<br />

exchange, no matter how questionable at this po<strong>in</strong>t, is<br />

a step <strong>in</strong> the right direction.<br />

Second, follow<strong>in</strong>g this goodwill exchange, the<br />

<strong>United</strong> <strong>States</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Ch<strong>in</strong>a</strong> have established regular<br />

high-level communications. <strong>The</strong> George W. Bush adm<strong>in</strong>istration<br />

<strong>and</strong> the Ch<strong>in</strong>ese government <strong>in</strong>itiated<br />

high-level strategic <strong>and</strong> economic dialogues <strong>in</strong> 2005.<br />

In 5 years, the two sides held six strategic <strong>and</strong> five economic<br />

annual dialogues. 11 In 2009, the Barack Obama<br />

adm<strong>in</strong>istration <strong>and</strong> its Ch<strong>in</strong>ese counterpart comb<strong>in</strong>ed<br />

the two separate meet<strong>in</strong>gs <strong>in</strong>to one annual dialogue<br />

between the two governments. <strong>The</strong> First Round of<br />

U.S.-<strong>Ch<strong>in</strong>a</strong> <strong>Strategic</strong> <strong>and</strong> Economic Dialogue took<br />

place <strong>in</strong> July 2009. <strong>Ch<strong>in</strong>a</strong> sent a delegation of more<br />

than 150 m<strong>in</strong>isterial-level officials, the largest ever, to<br />

81

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