ABSTRACT

There is a broad consensus among international observers that Sino-American relations have been in decline in recent years, notably since the ascendance of the government of Communist Party leader and President Xi Jinping in 2012–2013. Observers point to initiatives of both countries as causing greater tension and some turmoil. More broadly China is seen as rising in regional and international affairs with a stronger incentive to take active steps in foreign affairs, especially in nearby Asia, that often come at the expense of China's neighbors, the United States, and other powers interested in preserving the status quo. For its part, the United States is seen in decline and following a more reactive and passive approach to international affairs. In accord with the so-called Obama doctrine, the U.S. administration avoided repeating the mistakes seen in massive and largely unsuccessful American military interventions in Iraq and Afghanistan (Lampton 2015; Saunders 2014).