Sino-US Relations 2025

Sino-US Relations 2025: A Roadmap of Cooperation, Competition, and Conflict

More than twenty years have passed since the end of the Cold War between the US and the Soviet Union, and the world is now observing the emergence of a new order: the relative decline of American hegemony and the rise of China. The East Asia Institute (EAI) focuses on the future of Sino-US relations, a major topic in international politics today. What will the world look like with the predicted rise of China? What strategic roadmap does the United States, the sole superpower, possess for a world where China is rising? And how should South Korea chart its future strategy in the East Asian region, where the strategic interests of the US and China intersect?

Forecasting the future is by no means an easy task. Especially in the realm of international politics, where the situation is chaotic and unpredictable, predicting the trajectory of power realignments can easily devolve into hasty speculation. Therefore, we have set a timeframe of approximately ten years, within which rational predictions are possible, to forecast the future trajectory of Sino-US relations and the shape of the world order envisioned by these two great powers. This is the premise of 《Sino-US Relations 2025》. A total of 12 domestic expert researchers participated in this book, with eight of them offering their projections on the future of Sino-US relations across various fields. The areas primarily addressed in this book include mutual perceptions between the US and China, military affairs, trade, international currency, economy, soft power, climate change, and energy.

South Korea maintains a deep security and strategic relationship with the United States. Furthermore, since the establishment of diplomatic ties, economic and trade relations with China have developed by leaps and bounds. Japan, a major economic power, is also a close neighbor, and Russia, which has begun to expand its presence in Asia with new interests, cannot be ignored. Moreover, the tensions and confrontations on the Korean Peninsula remain unresolved amidst the ongoing division. Considering our reality, surrounded by great powers, diagnosing the future direction of the international order and formulating appropriate strategies is a critical issue that affects the nation's destiny. Thus, 《Sino-US Relations 2025》 aims to provide constructive guidance for understanding the present world and preparing for the future.

Table of Contents

Foreword

Chapter 1: Mutual Perceptions between the US and China: Collaborators or Competitors | Ju Hyung-min

Chapter 2: Sino-US Military Relations 2025 | Lee Dong-seon

Chapter 3: Sino-US Trade Relations 2025 | Kim Dong-hoon

Chapter 4: China's Choice: RMB Internationalization and the Political Economy of Reserve Currencies | Lee Yong-wook

Chapter 5: Sino-US Relations and East Asia: Strategic Competition over the Economic Architecture | Sohn Yeol

Chapter 6: The Appeal of the US and China in the 2025 Soft Power Market | Kim Jeong

Chapter 7: The International Politics of Climate Change and Sino-US Relations | Shin Beom-sik

Chapter 8: Sino-US Relations 2025: The Realm of Energy Resources | Jung Ju-yeon

For the convenience of our readers, excerpts from the manuscript are provided.