Abstract ▼ AI-Helper

As Erich Fromm predicts, despite development of human society and technology, the world is divided by the wealthy and the poor states, and gaps between them are increasing. Would the comsmopolitan world with enduring peace impossible? The recent case of the rise of China and the U.S. coercive policy...

As Erich Fromm predicts, despite development of human society and technology, the world is divided by the wealthy and the poor states, and gaps between them are increasing. Would the comsmopolitan world with enduring peace impossible? The recent case of the rise of China and the U.S. coercive policy toward the nation both presents disappointments and expectations for the Frommian view.

China has been grown, both in terms of economic and military power, to pose challenge to the U.S. with its vast territory and population of 1.4 billion. This led many scholars who are equipped with the realist perspective to see China-U.S. relationship as hegemonic contest. However, this perspective does not explain the full account of the China-U.S. relations, and therefore has limits.
This thesis problematizes the view that sees China-U.S. relations in Asia-Pacific region as conflict, and attempts to demonstrate that both nations can establish mutually beneficial relationship.

In order to achieve its aim, this thesis takes a comparative analysis on areas where China’s On Belt and One Road Initiative and the U.S. Indo-Pacific Strategy overlap. In such attempt it tries to: distinguish elements of conflicts and cooperation from where overlap occurs; suggest each nation’s strategic superiority over issues; and provide prospect for their future relations.

Although this research recognizes that China and the U.S. are engaged in militaristic competition, it focuses on the interconnectedness that bounds the two nations within the network of global economic structure. This research argues that China and the U.S. will continue to contend in the sphere of military and security, but ultimately will proceed to the relationship that is featured by co-existence of cooperation and conflict. This is inevitable as interdependence will continue to benefit both nations in the complex network of international political economy.

Cooperation is more beneficiary than conflict. As Erich Fromm suggests, to pursue humanist community will lead to East Asia’s rise and prosperous future. By providing understanding of China’s One Belt, One Road Initiative and the U.S. Indo-Pacific strategy, this research will provide future research agenda on the possibility of China-U.S. cooperation and the development of both nations along with East Asia.