RSIS Seminar by Dr Manjeet S. Pardesi, Senior Lecturer, Victoria University of Wellington

Competition or Cooperation? US Response to the Rise of China and India

Seminar Abstract
Why is the United States pursuing competitive strategies in response to China’s rise, while responding to the rise of India with cooperative strategies?  Since a rising power’s interests may change in the future along with its growing power, can international relations theory help us understand why the system leader differs in its response to different rising powers?  The speaker argues that explanations based on economic interdependence, variations in domestic regime-type, and the balance-of-power logic cannot fully explain the American response to Asia’s rising powers.  Therefore, he offers a ‘systemic’ argument based on three factors – (i) the structural context accompanying the rise of China and India (polarity, global economy, and region); (ii) the type of international change being sought by them (territory, global governance, and status), and; (iii) the means used in pursuit of these changes (political, economic, and military) – to explain America’s divergent response. This ‘systemic’ argument has implications for international relations theory and the emerging world order. American strategy towards China and India is ultimately about ensuring America’s status as the primus inter pares in an increasingly multipolar Asia.