Confronting and Competing with China

“The [Chinese Communist Party’s] ultimate goal is global hegemony—to make China the world’s leading power, dominating not only global trade (and, someday, finance) and resource flows but contested spaces like the Arctic, outer space, and international institutions. In the near term, China seeks to push the United States out of the Indo-Pacific, or at least greatly diminish its role, so that China can become the regional hegemon—dominating the resources and sea lanes of the South China Sea, sidelining the United States in trade and diplomacy, pushing US military forces progressively further out into the distant Pacific Ocean, and eventually compelling Taiwan to ‘reunify with the motherland’ under terms that will belie the promise of ‘one country, two systems.’”

—Senior Fellow Larry Diamond and Research Fellow Glenn Tiffert in American Purpose, April 4, 2022

“I believe that the United States has a comparative advantage over China in terms of our ability to expand and strengthen our network of allies and partners. In promoting freedom and the rule of law, the United States offers an attractive vision to the rest of the world. By contrast, China demonstrates coercive behavior, not only to its citizens but also in international organizations and in its relationships with other countries.”

—Research Fellow Joe Felter in a Hoover Institution Q&A, January 13, 2022

“Even as the bilateral U.S.-China relationship remains overwhelmingly competitive, the United States should keep the door open to cooperation with China. There is legitimate space to elevate the world’s capacity to respond to climate change, pandemics, and global disasters through U.S.-China cooperation. Reconstituting a bilateral dialogue that supports discussion and negotiation on singular, targeted issues of mutual concern, such as visas or maritime safety, would also be beneficial. And supporting civil society exchanges, such as the Fulbright program and Peace Corps, that offer the opportunity to share U.S. perspectives and values, have little downside for the United States and significant potential upside.”

—Senior Fellow Elizabeth Economy in testimony before the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee, March 17, 2021