Cold Rivals: The New Era of US-China Strategic Competition

Leading authorities analyze growing tensions in US-China relations and what this means for the future

The US-China relationship is now defined by “strategic competition.” In Cold Rivals, a distinguished group of scholars from the United States and China examine the reasons for this deterioration and its implications for world politics.

The two countries are now competitors locked in a long-term rivalry, but how volatile this rivalry will become is still to be determined. The book explores not only the historical roots and contemporary foreign policy aspects of this era, but also looks at the economic, military, and technological arenas of US-China strategic competition. In doing so, this volume highlights important differences in US and Chinese perspectives. A final section of the volume explores future scenarios for this relationship from a variety of perspectives, all coming to a sobering conclusion.

This policy-relevant book provides a comprehensive overview of US-China strategic competition and reinvigorates thinking about how to avoid reaching a crisis point.

Evan S. Medeiros is the inaugural Penner Family Chair in Asian Studies at Georgetown University's Walsh School of Foreign Service and the Cling Family Distinguished Fellow in US-China Studies. During the Obama Administration, he held senior positions on the National Security Council including Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Asia. He has published seven books including China's International Behavior: Activism, Opportunism, and Diversification.