The China Choice: Why We Should Share Power

Thesis of The China Choice is that rather than engage in serious competition and conflict with China, Washington should share power with Beijing by forming a “Concert of Asia”, comprising the great powers of the Asia-Pacific. Author Hugh White’s argues that China’s challenge to America’s economic pre-eminence could succeed where others have failed because China has something the earlier challengers lacked: China’s workforce is four times the size of American’s. If China’s productivity approaches American level and Chinese workers become one quarter as productive as American workers, the two nations’ GDPs will be equal. That is what’s happening. China’s economic fundamentals give no reason to assume that China’s growth will stop. It’s political system is under pressure and probably have to evolve but there is also no reason to assume that this cannot happen in a way that allows China’s economy to keep growing. He concluded that China most likely will overtake the United States to become the largest economy in the world in the next few years. As China’s economic growth is translating into growing strategic and political power, it is no longer willing to accept the status quo and US as the sole leader in Asia. Fear and honor, as White argues, are the mainsprings of rivalry between United States and China. China fears that if America remains the leader in Asia, it will use its power and position to limit China’s growth, constrain its influence and undermine its political system. America fears that if China becomes more powerful, it will push America out of Asia, threatening America’s global position. The military balance between America and China is critical to the choices America must make about its role in Asia. China has expanded its sea-denial capacity, which enables it to deny the American navy access