Power dynamics, more than ideology, drive US-China tensions

Abstract

In a new East-West Wire commentary, East-West Center Senior Fellow Denny Roy writes that China's main challenges to US global pre-eminence are economic and strategic, not ideological. "Ideology plays a role in the current downturn in US-China relations, but it is easy to oversimplify or misunderstand this dynamic," Roy writes. "Importantly, ideology is neither the main cause nor the most dangerous aspect of China's challenge to the United States."While US-China frictions are primarily structural in nature, Roy asserts, "the clash of ideologies does prejudice each side to see the other as a natural enemy, adding an additional layer of conflict. ... But there is little visible evidence that, as some allege, Marxist ideology is pushing the CCP leadership to work toward overthrowing the American political system."