China Vs United States

Political realism is a concept that should be at the forefront of every political scientist’s studies, as the importance of this interactional basis (and frankly, threat) is ever increasing as China and United States become increasingly similar as far as power and economic capabilities. The United States has maintained sole superpower status since the end of the Cold War and the fall of the Soviet Union, but as China’s population grows, its military expenditure and in turn technological capabilities increase, and its economic production surpasses that of the United States, it is possible that this hegemony is soon to disappear. First I will begin with a brief explanation of realism and how it works, and then, as the two are closely intertwined,

The United States has repeatedly called upon China to be harsher on North Korea; a request for cooperation in an otherwise politically hostile environment. Recent sanctions imposed by the UN Security Council shows that China and the US do in fact wish to cooperate on North Korea, however, it took compromise on the part of the United States in order to get China to agree to the terms. The increasing power of China is reflected in this decision, as the United States has, historically, not been a nation willing to compromise – usually, other states are the abiding ones. China’s ability to hold the sanctions hostage pending cooperation from the United States shows the country’s self-determination influencing international decisions. Furthermore, this persuasive action of China (and Russia, for what it is worth) in this agreement undermines the sanctity of the United Nations, and exemplifies the reality of the realist approach to international governance; that there isn’t one. China and the United States, two of the most powerful nations, are also the functioning government of this institution, and thus are able to shape this organization to do what is in their self-interest, leaving it completely useless in the enactment and enforcement of policy if it does not benefit them. Ultimately,

The United States benefits from China, but also needs to ensure that it is always the beneficiary of policy. Lying in the creating of policy, whether within the policy or predating it, is an important asset that the United States should use and has used when communicating with the Asian power. There is a fine line between critical arguments against China while maintaining positive trading relationships and detrimental accusations which would ultimately cause tensions to rise and cooperation between the two power-hungry nations to seize. The fact that one state is an offensive realist and the other defensive means that tensions are at times difficult to recognize as the goals are different, but the means to the goals are very similar. Furthermore, realism embodies the concept of egoism. China and the United States both have some sense of ego to uphold, and are unwilling to compromise on this front as sacrifice of image means that the other effectively gains power. In the realist tradition of maintaining of power, such a misstep would undoubtedly be deeply upsetting to the balance of power between the two nations – or at least to the one which