Department of

Political Science and

Semester: Intersession 2023

Rezaul Karim Shovon 2012200630

Rakib-Ul-Islam 1931283042
Course Code: POL101
Course Title: Introduction to Political Science
Section: 06
Name and initial of the
Dr. Nurul Huda Sakib (NHS1)
course instructor:
Exam/Assessment An Analysis of the Political Situation and Conflict of
Name USA-China Relations
Date of submission 27 December, 2023
An Analysis of the Political Situation
and Conflict of USA-China Relations

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Letter of Transmittal
POL101, Section 06

North South University

Date: December 25, 2023

Dr. Nurul Huda Sakib

Associate Professor

Ph.D., The University of Sydney, AUS

M.Sc., Jahangirnagar University, BD

Subject: Submission of the Analysis of political situations and conflicts of

USA-China relation.

Respected Sir,

With due respect, we, the undersigned students of section 06 have put together Analysis of

political situations and conflicts of USA-China relation under the course POL101 and we and

would like to state that it is a great pleasure to complete it under your command. We worked

hard to expand our findings of different views, perspectives about every major stage about

the conflict these countries went through so far. We sincerely hope our report will showcase

the entirety of this conflict briefly and share a lot of knowledge about this global political

issue.

Sincerely,

Rezaul Karim Shovon

Al Fawsesh Habib

Page | 2
Fatema Jannat

Rakib-Ul-Islam

Executive Summary

The United States, a country of 50 states, has been a global influencer in industrialization,

urbanization, business development, tech infrastructure, etc. The country is at the peak of

capitalization and tends to affect the world, directly holding onto many countries. China,

officially the People’s Republic of China, a country in East Asia with the second highest

population, has been at the peak of industry production and manufacturing exports. It tends to

focus on the productivity of its people, and it has been successful so far. This country has also

been a great example of population efficiency and political and economic resiliency. Mostly,

they have been at the top of doing business and infrastructure projects worldwide. The USA

and China have a tremendous military department to protect their country. However, these

two countries do not get along at all. There has not been a direct war at all, even though there

is a good chance of it happening in the future. Since both countries are powerful in

everything, especially regarding expertise and development in military projects, it could

cause a third world war. Both countries have no interest in engaging in a war and are trying to

stay that way since it could significantly affect both countries and many other countries. The

political leaders have been at each other’s throats for years; they don’t seem to agree on many

sensitive issues, such as ideology, exercising of rights, political and economic functioning,

international relations, etc. The leaders are heavily criticizing and demeaning each other in

front of the whole world and many global political leaders in recent years. The presidents of

these countries have been in direct conflict about significant issues regarding Taiwan and

Hong Kong, technological improvements, political ideology, the perspective of human rights,

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etc. A communist party runs China, while the USA has been trying to build a capitalist world

for many decades to have much greater control and benefits.

There have always been clashes between the USA and other countries that are politically and

ideologically different than the USA. China is one of the great global leaders and a direct

competitor of the USA regarding global influence, modern developments, and international

business. So obviously, big clashes and conflicts are occurring between these two countries.

Table of Contents
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Introduction...........................................................................................................................6

Recent Developments and Conflicts....................................................................................7

Economic Dimension..........................................................................................................11

Impact of Ideological Differences......................................................................................15

Conflict about Security, Military, and Human Rights....................................................16

Conclusion...........................................................................................................................19

References............................................................................................................................20

1. Introduction

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The US-China relationship is a significant factor in shaping the global economy, politics, and

society. As the world’s largest economies and powers, China and the US have a complex

relationship based on trade and commerce. This relationship has not only led to

unprecedented growth but has also created multifaceted issues and complexities. The

relationship between China and the US encompasses a complex web of economic

relationships, ideological differences, security issues, and diplomatic complexities that have

made the US-China relationship a realm of cooperation and disagreement. Understanding the

relationship between the US and China, the benefits of the relationship, challenges, and

trajectories of the current global order and international relations is essential for

understanding the current situation.

2. Recent Developments and Conflicts

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The US-China relationship is complicated, with an aware balance of cooperation and

competitiveness as well. Presidents Biden and Xi Jinping will meet at the G20 summit in

November 2023, stressing the need for responsible stewardship on global concerns such as

climate change and nuclear proliferation. However, economic tensions linger, with the United

States concerned about China's unfair trade practices, intellectual property theft, and rising

domestic subsidies. China's aggression in the South China Sea, as well as technology rivals,

threaten to strain the relationship further. Recent events, notably as the Taiwan Policy Act of

2023 and China's repression on pro-democracy demonstrations in Hong Kong, have eroded

bilateral confidence even more. To negotiate this complicated terrain, smart thought and

cautious diplomacy are required, with open communication channels critical to avoiding

misconceptions and miscommunication controlling possible flashpoints.

The trade war:

which was started by the Trump administration in 2018, is still a powerful representation of

the US-China economic rivalry. To allay American worries about industrial subsidies, trade

imbalances, and theft of intellectual property, taxes on items worth hundreds of billions of

dollars were first imposed.

Overview:

Throughout 2019, the battle intensified, upending international supply lines, and having an

effect on everything from semiconductors to soybeans. Although a brief respite was provided

by a Phase One agreement in 2020, several tariffs still exist and hinder bilateral trade.

Impacts:

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The trade war has had a variety of negative effects. Farmers that relied on Chinese markets

suffered huge losses, while American consumers had to pay more for imported commodities.

Exports slowing down and manufacturing interruptions caused the Chinese economy to

tremble. International commerce also weakened, which slowed down global economic

expansion.

Trade War Negotiations:

The US-China trade war featured several attempts at negotiation to reach a common ground,

in addition to tariffs and economic suffering. High-level negotiations between the two parties

initially failed because of divergent goals and strategies. The most notable negotiating victory

was with the Phase One agreement in January 2020, which established intellectual property

rights, decreased tariffs, and highlighted Chinese promises to boost American products

purchases. But it only addressed a small number of issues, ignoring important ones like

market access and industry subsidies. Although there hasn't been a complete standoff in the

negotiations, wider attempts to resolve fundamental problems are still challenging because of

enduring differences and competing economic theories. Despite these obstacles, a more

comprehensive deal might still be possible in the process of addressing the trade war's

outstanding issues.

Outlook in US-China Relations

There remains belief for US-China relations in the future, despite the difficulties and tensions

in the current environment. Recognizing the mutual dependency of global problems and the

possibility of reciprocal benefits both countries might investigate areas of collaboration to

establish a more sustainable and positive relationship.

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Climate Change and Environment Issues:

As the two biggest polluters in the world, the US and China have a big part to play in

reducing climate change. Cooperation may involve leading global climate efforts, exchanging

best practices for climate adaption, and conducting cooperative research and development of

sustainable energy technology. The United States and China can lead collective action for a

sustainable future by exhibiting shared commitment and cooperating on international fora

like the Paris Agreement.

Global Health Challenges:

The US and China can collaborate on addressing global health challenges by strengthening

early warning systems, joint research and development of vaccines and treatments, and global

health governance and capacity building. This will enhance disease detection, prevent

pandemic spread, accelerate the development of life-saving vaccines, and improve

preparedness for health emergencies in developing countries.

Areas of Continued Conflict in US-China Relations

Though there are encouraging signs for the future of US-China connections in many sectors,

there are still major obstacles in the way of a truly solid and beneficial partnership. Long

shadows are cast over this complicated relationship by two important areas: economic

competitiveness and security/military issues, which need for cautious diplomacy and strategic

navigation.

Economic Competition:

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The US and China continue to have economic tensions despite the Phase One agreement

because of China's state-run economy, industry subsidies, and intellectual property issues.

This competition may intensify trade tensions and imbalances by igniting trade wars, tariff

conflicts, technical rivalry in industries like semiconductors and artificial intelligence, and

possible currency manipulation by China. Increases in commerce in the future can break

global supply linkages and impede economic expansion.

Security and Military Tensions:

Security concerns are growing due to China and the US's different political and strategic

outlooks, with Taiwan, the South China Sea, and the arms race serving as major crises.

China's expansionist claims might lead to naval conflicts, while the US's dedication to

defence and China's forceful claims present threats. The military units of both nations have

been upgraded.

3. Economic Dimension

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The US and China are the world’s two largest economies also two superpowers. China is

considered a rising power in the world economy because of its booming scientific and

economic growth, while the US remains a major military and economic power. These two

economies have a major impact on the future of the world economy. The U.S. trade with

China is part of a complex and interdependent economic relationship. Manufacturing and

innovation form the core of the US’s economic relationship with China. China is the United

States' third largest trading partner, after Mexico and Canada. China sees the United States as

both a major trading partner and a buyer of American exports. The relationship is growing,

with total US-China trade reaching a record high in 2022.

Trade relation:

(United States Census Bureau)

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  According to Figure 1 (US-China Goods Trade), as of 2022, China ranked as the

fourth-largest goods trading partner of the United States, with total trade worth $690.3

billion. It also held the fourth-largest market for U.S. exports, with $154.0 billion, and

was the second-largest source of U.S. imports, with $536.3 billion. (Congressional

Research Service)

 Last year, the United States imported a record $563.6 billion worth of goods and

services from China. (The New York Times)

Benefits of these relation:

 Lower price for US consumers and high profit for the US companies. (Council on

Foreign Relations)

 China and America together represent 40% of the global output.

 In 2019, a study found that by this relation purchasing ability for the U.S. household

boosted by $1500. (Council on Foreign Relations)

 More than one million jobs in the United States were supported by exports to China.

(Council on Foreign Relations)

 U.S. companies earn hundreds of billion dollars annually from sales in China.

(Council on Foreign Relations)

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  After the trade relationship China’s economy has grown really tremendously and

hundreds of millions of people have escaped extreme poverty as a result of this

economic growth. (Council on Foreign Relations)

 Growth in China’s global exports. (Council on Foreign Relations)

 It is expected that by 2030 US exports to China can rise to more than $520 billion.

(The U.S. China Business Council)

Instead of these advantages and growth in both the country’s economy for this relation, in

recent times the relation is now going so well. US and China are now involved in a trade war

with both the countries extending steep tariffs and curbs on critical exports from advanced

technology to minerals used to make electric vehicles. American companies are shifting

factory production away from China to less politically risky venues. Chinese businesses are

focused on trade with allies and neighbours, while seeking domestic suppliers for technology

they are barred from buying from American companies. But why are there still issues after so

much growth in both their economies? Let's review a few points:

Problems with this relationship:

 valid worries that foreign companies are unfairly treated by China's investment

policies.

 U.S. officials have repeatedly accused Beijing of stealing intellectual property and

also policymakers are concerned about Chinese efforts to acquire sensitive U.S.

technology to achieve Beijing’s industrial policy goals and bolster China’s military.

(Congressional Research Service)

 Many economists say that China has kept its currency low to make Chinese imports

cheaper and US exports more expensive and thus adding to the trade imbalance

between the US and China. (Congressional Research Service)

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 Labor groups of the United States have long complained about poor working

conditions in China. (Congressional Research Service)

 CFR’s Jennifer Hillman says, “China has perfected the process of acquiring Western

technology, utilizing it to grow its own companies into global giants before releasing

them onto the global market, rendering foreign companies out of date.”

(Congressional Research Service)

These and many other unspecified issues led US and China in a trade war.

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 4. Impact of Ideological Differences

The U.S. and China are two different ideological states and mostly show dissimilarities

on ideological perspectives. But the role of ideology is neither the most impactful nor

most dangerous reason behind the deterioration in the U.S.-China relation. Americans by

their culture see both communism and authoritarianism as not only insults to American

values, but also as shackles to world peace. The Marxist nature of CCP elites cultivates

them with the view that the US is an imperialist power committed to stifling leading

socialist states such as China.

There are two views regarding the role of ideology:

1. Ideological differences are not that significant in US China competition and the two

countries should avoid involving themselves in any conflict regarding this issue.

2. Ideology is impactful in the power competition and U.S. should not avoid talking

about it and should even consider taking the offensive on the ideological front. (Springer

Link)

Both views are somewhat correct in their own reasonings. The first perspective is correct

to avoid conflict on any ideological ground because any unnecessary conflict could

worsen already downturned U.S. China relation. Where, the second one is correct in

illustrating the role of ideology but can lead to unnecessary ideological conflicts. While

two countries remaining in a competitive environment it is somewhat inevitable that

there can be some ideological competition, but both the countries should not stretch these

issues too much and avoid it to better understanding of the other’s intentions, more

appreciation for the impact of one’s own actions on the other’s insecurity.

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5. Conflicts about Security, Military, and Human

Rights

 China has been assertive about claiming its territory in the South China Sea. The U.S.

heavily criticized it as they believed it influenced the freedom of navigation.

 Then, The U.S. has been acting against China regarding the Taiwan issue, as they

have been supplying military equipment to Taiwan while China is pressuring the

country to be unified with the Chinese mainland. China was firmly against

interference from the United States, as it has been helping Taiwan defend its land to

fight back against China (Maizland, 2023).

 On top of that, the U.S. has been accusing China of several hacking activities

regarding businesses and government issues in the U.S. Also, the U.S. is concerned

about China's quick technological improvement. The U.S. feels threatened that these

types of improvements are risky factors regarding security concerns. Furthermore,

China has taken on many global infrastructural development projects in many

countries, boosting their economic growth. The U.S. is concerned about whether it

should stick to its strategic position to maintain its influence over the global economy.

 The U.S. and China have several trade conflicts. Both countries are imposing tariffs

on each other due to so many disagreements. Both countries are accusing each other

of illegal market access and trade practices.

 Then, China's dealing with issues of ethnic minorities has been condemned a lot by

the U.S., especially China's treatment of Uighurs in Xinjiang. The Uighurs are

Muslim majority people, and China has been restricting their fundamental human

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 rights for a long time. China defends it as their action against terrorist activities, while

the U.S. has been saying that it is an abuse of human rights and an example of

suppression of people, calling it a "genocide" (Wong & Buckley, 2021).

 It affected the diplomatic relations they had with each other. Also, The U.S. has

accused China due to the global pandemic caused by Covid-19. The U.S. believes that

many people died due to China not having proper transparency over this matter. As

COVID-19 originated in China and spread into the whole world very quickly, it killed

millions of people, including too many people in the United States, and it affected

their relationship with each other. The U.S. blamed China for being unable to provide

accurate information, accusing it of withholding essential data (Beaumont, 2021).

 The U.S. believes China is destroying democracy and fundamental human rights

because of having a one-party system. China has a one-party system, the CCP

(Chinese Communist Party). They accused China of suppressing Political rights and

freedom. The U.S. especially complains that China's government system has too

many controls over the states.

 Recently, U.S. President Joe Biden directly called Chinese President Xi Jinping a

dictator in front of all the news media that has a global presence. He believes that

since Xi runs a communist country, the communist government system is highly

likely to be a dictatorship according to the beliefs of the U.S. government and its

ideology (Abutaleb & Hudson, 2023).

 Xi Jinping has also told Biden that he intends to unite Taiwan with the Chinese

mainland. There was a recent summit in San Fransico, where Xi told this to Biden,

while there was a group meeting where officials from both countries attended.

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 However, Xi talked about uniting Taiwan peacefully instead of imposing forces (Xi

Warned Biden During Summit That Beijing Will Reunify Taiwan With China, 2023).

 China also imposed a National Security Law in Hong Kong, and The U.S. was firmly

against it, saying it was destroying the city's autonomy. Over such actions, The U.S.

has been accusing China of breaking a lot of democratic principles. Many people in

Hong Kong have been arrested for opposing this law. Political critics fear that this

might be the end of Hong Kong (BBC News, 2022).

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 6. Conclusion

The US-China relationship presents a unique set of economic opportunities and daunting

challenges. Trade and economic integration between the US and China have been mutually

beneficial, generating growth, jobs, and increased global output. But underlying tensions,

including trade issues, intellectual property issues, ideological clashes, and security concerns,

have strained the relationship, resulting in a web of diplomatic complexities and disputes. In

this complex environment, diplomacy, negotiation, and problem-solving are essential. While

disagreements and obstacles remain, there are opportunities to work together, especially on

global issues such as climate change and health care. Taking advantage of these opportunities

could open the door to a more constructive, mutually beneficial future.

In the end, the changing dynamics of these two global superpowers will continue to shape

international trends, affecting not only their own well-being but the well-being of the global

community. Fostering a more stable and prosperous relationship between the US and China

will require balancing cooperation with competition, recognizing mutual interests, and

engaging in meaningful dialogue.

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 7. References

Abutaleb, Y., & Hudson, J. (2023, November 16). Biden and Xi agree to restore military ties,

helping ease tensions. Washington Post.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/11/15/biden-xi-meeting/

BBC News. (2022, June 28). Hong Kong national security law: What is it and is it worrying?

BBC News. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-52765838

Beaumont, P. (2021, March 31). UK and US criticise WHO’s Covid report and accuse China

of withholding data. The Guardian.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/mar/30/who-criticises-chinas-data-sharing-

as-it-releases-covid-origins-report

Briefing, C. (2023, December 20). US-China relations in the Biden-Era: A timeline - China

briefing news. China Briefing News. https://www.china-briefing.com/news/us-china-

relations-in-the-biden-era-a-timeline/

Cheng, E. (2023, November 14). U.S.-China relations are now more about crisis prevention.

CNBC. https://www.cnbc.com/2023/11/14/us-china-relations-are-now-more-about-

crisis-prevention.html

Congressional Research Service. (2023). U.S.-China Trade Relations.

https://sgp.fas.org/crs/row/IF11284.pdf

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Ewe, K. (2023, November 16). Biden calls Xi a ‘Dictator’ right after praising progress in

repairing U.S.-China relationship. TIME. https://time.com/6336088/biden-xi-meeting-

dictator-response/

Jiangtao, S., & Jiangtao, S. (2023, July 28). ‘Encouraging sign’: Chinese and US climate

envoys renew talks in lead-up to COP28, Apec summit. South China Morning Post.

https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3229266/encouraging-sign-

chinese-and-us-climate-envoys-renew-talks-lead-cop28-apec-summit

Maizland, L. (2023, April 18). Why China-Taiwan relations are so tense. Council on Foreign

Relations. https://www.cfr.org/backgrounder/china-taiwan-relations-tension-us-

policy-biden

Policy Research Working Paper. (2022). The US-China Trade War and Global Reallocations.

https://documents1.worldbank.org/curated/en/735611641482672239/pdf/The-US-

China-Trade-War-and-Global-Reallocations.pdf

Rebuilding US-Chinese cooperation on climate change: The science and technology

opportunity | Brookings. (2022, March 9). Brookings.

https://www.brookings.edu/articles/rebuilding-us-chinese-cooperation-on-climate-

change-the-science-and-technology-opportunity/

Setser, B. W. (2018, July 9). U.S.-China trade war: How we got here. Council on Foreign

Relations. https://www.cfr.org/blog/us-china-trade-war-how-we-got-here

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Siripurapu, A. (2023, September 26). The contentious U.S.-China trade relationship. Council

on Foreign Relations. https://www.cfr.org/backgrounder/contentious-us-china-trade-

relationship

Swanson, A. (2023, July 7). U.S. and China, by the Numbers. The New York Times.

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/07/07/business/economy/us-china-relationship-

facts.html

The U.S.-China Relationship amid China’s Economic Woes | CSIS. (n.d.).

https://www.csis.org/blogs/perspectives-innovation/us-china-relationship-amid-

chinas-economic-woes

Understanding the US-China trade relationship. (2023, October 23). US-China Business

Council. https://www.uschina.org/reports/understanding-us-china-trade-relationship

US Census Bureau. (2019, April 15). International trade. https://www.census.gov/foreign-

trade/balance/c5700.html

US-China trade war. (2022, July 19). PIIE. https://www.piie.com/research/trade-

investment/us-china-trade-war

Wong, E., & Buckley, C. (2021, July 27). U.S. says China’s repression of Uighurs is

‘Genocide.’ The New York Times.

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/19/us/politics/trump-china-xinjiang.html

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Xi warned Biden during summit that Beijing will reunify Taiwan with China. (2023,

December 20). NBC News. https://www.nbcnews.com/news/china/xi-warned-biden-

summit-beijing-will-reunify-taiwan-china-rcna130087

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