The Multifaceted Nature of the US-China Rivalry

10 May 2024 | APLN

10 May 2024

This week at APLN, Rabia Akhtar writes on the dimensions and implications of the US-China rivalry in the Asia-Pacific, we share an update about our Jakarta conference for the Asia Dialogue project, and we invite you to join us for our launch event for our report on nuclear use in Northeast Asia.

Given the recent news that China has declined another meeting with the US on arms control, we revisit APLN’s Group Statement on China-US Arms Control and Non-Proliferation as a reminder of the importance of high-level dialogue between the two nuclear-armed countries.

We also share recent activities from our network, including analysis on the motives behind China’s nuclear expansion, Japan’s nuclear dilemma, the integration of deterrence and diplomacy, and more.

US-China Rivalry in Asia-Pacific: Dimensions and Implications

In this week’s APLN Korea Times column, Rabia Akhtar explores the different facets of the US-China rivalry in the Asia-Pacific. She splits the relationship into four areas – trade & economics, technology & cybersecurity, military buildup & strategic posturing, and regional diplomacy – and assesses what competition in each of these categories means for the future of the region as we move into an increasingly multipolar world.

Read the Korea Times column

On May 9th and 10th, APLN hosted a conference on the US-China relationship and its implications for regional stability as part of our Asia Dialogue project. The conference was held in Jakarta and included experts and practitioners from China, the United States, and several other countries across the Asia-Pacific.

Read about the Asia Dialogue

Related Publications

Advancing Regional Stability in an Era of Geopolitical Competition and Tension: The Role of Fiji

In this Special Report, Sandra Tarte highlights Fiji’s role as a major player in the Pacific Islands and argues that Fiji’s “Pacific Zone of Peace” concept is crucial in promoting peace and security in the context of the United States and China’s great power rivalry.

What Should Be Done? Practical Policies to Prevent Nuclear Catastrophe

Nuclear risks are rising at an alarming rate. Nations active in Northeast Asia, four of which possess nuclear weapons, are pursuing nuclear expansion programs and becoming increasingly reliant on coercive military signalling, leading to an environment ripe for nuclear conflict.

Join us on May 28th from 09:00-10:30 KST for the launch of our new report, What Should Be Done? Practical Policies to Prevent Nuclear Catastrophe, written by Van Jackson. The webinar will include a presentation of the report’s findings, a recap of APLN’s project on Nuclear Weapon Use Risk Reduction, and a discussion on how to pursue an effective, pragmatic, and holistic policymaking approach to avoid nuclear conflict.

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Group Statement: China-US Arms Control and Non-Proliferation

On May 2nd, news broke that China declined a meeting with the United States to resume talks on arms control. The conversation would have followed-on from the meeting on arms control and non-proliferation in November last year, when US Assistant Secretary Mallory Stewart and Chinese Director-General of Arms Control Sun Xiaobo met in Washington D.C.

Following the November meeting, APLN released a statement calling on the two countries to continue engaging in high-level bilateral dialogue on arms control and non-proliferation and build on the engagement as responsible global powers. The statement has been endorsed by 90 figures from 20 countries across the Asia Pacific.

China’s recent rejection comes at a time when tensions are high in the Asia-Pacific, several countries are engaged in arms-racing behaviour, and nuclear threats are growing. It is vital that the two powers continue to prioritise high-level engagement to reduce nuclear risks and promote greater stability in the region.

Read the group statement (available in English and Chinese)

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‘Trump’s Possible Return Will Be Mixed Bag for South Korea’

Chung-in Moon, APLN Vice Chair, was interviewed by the Korea Times, where he discussed the implications of the upcoming U.S. presidential election and foreign policy of the Yoon administration. He argued that the South Korean government should consider various aspects of the rapidly changing international environment, where its policies may not always be effective.

The Real Motives for China’s Nuclear Expansion

Tong Zhao, Senior Fellow at Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, writes for Foreign Affairs on the underlying drivers of China’s nuclear expansion, the implications for US-China security and overall relations, and essential measures needed to address core issues in nuclear and broader bilateral ties. [An open-access Chinese translation of this article can be accessed here.]

Indo-Pacific Statecraft: Deterrence and Diplomacy

Huong Le Thu, Deputy Director of Asia Program at the International Crisis Group, is featured on the National Security Podcast, where she discusses the integration of deterrence and diplomacy in the practice of statecraft in the Indo-Pacific.

‘Choson’: Is it time we start referring to N. Korea in its own terms?

Cheong Wook-Sik, Director of Peace Network and Director of the Hankyoreh Institute of Peace, argues that South Korea should give up the term “Bukhan” (North Korea) and start using “Choson”, the term preferred by North Korea, as mutual acknowledgement is the first step to peace and coexistence.

Assessing the Promise of Small Modular Reactors from an Indian Perspective

Manpreet Sethi, APLN Senior Research Adviser and Distinguished Fellow at the Centre for Air Power Studies, New Delhi, assesses the advantages of Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) and the challenges that they are likely to face, in the context of India’s energy mix.

Mitigating Japan’s Nuclear Dilemma

Nobumasa Akiyama, APLN Senior Associate Fellow and Professor of International Relations at Hitotsubashi University, points out that Japan is forced to grapple with a “nuclear dilemma” rooted in its historical trauma and contemporary security challenges.

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