China, US Power and the China, US Power and the Future of the Future of the

Contemporary World Contemporary World OrderOrder

Professor Nicola PhillipsProfessor Nicola Phillips

University of ManchesterUniversity of Manchester

China and US PowerChina and US Power

Can the emergence of China be said to Can the emergence of China be said to represent a challenge to the global represent a challenge to the global dominance of the United States?dominance of the United States?

Is the emergence of China to be Is the emergence of China to be understood instead as integral to the world understood instead as integral to the world order structured by US power?order structured by US power?

How does the emergence of China fit into How does the emergence of China fit into the bigger picture of US power? Does it the bigger picture of US power? Does it represent an indication of the limits or represent an indication of the limits or decline of US power, or is it a reflection of decline of US power, or is it a reflection of the expansion of US power?the expansion of US power?

Founding arguments: 1Founding arguments: 1

Limits of US power: importance of not Limits of US power: importance of not overstating the extent of US primacyoverstating the extent of US primacy

‘‘Structural-agential disjuncture’ in US powerStructural-agential disjuncture’ in US power Vulnerabilities of US dominance – NB: energy, Vulnerabilities of US dominance – NB: energy,

finance/debt, ideological power, soft powerfinance/debt, ideological power, soft power How feasible is a project of ‘global hegemony’?How feasible is a project of ‘global hegemony’?

China and the ‘new declinism’ in the USChina and the ‘new declinism’ in the US

Founding arguments: 2Founding arguments: 2

Importance of disaggregating US power by Importance of disaggregating US power by sphere and issue areasphere and issue area

Implications of disaggregation for Implications of disaggregation for understandings of Chinese powerunderstandings of Chinese power

Theoretical extrapolation from US global Theoretical extrapolation from US global hegemonic project in assessments of hegemonic project in assessments of emerging Chinese power, especially in emerging Chinese power, especially in internal debates in the USinternal debates in the US

Founding arguments: 3Founding arguments: 3

Understanding of the transnational nature Understanding of the transnational nature of the Chinese economy and Chinese of the Chinese economy and Chinese industrialisation: China as site of industrialisation: China as site of accumulation strategies of transnational accumulation strategies of transnational capitalcapital

China in global production chainsChina in global production chains Manner in which US capital and consumers Manner in which US capital and consumers

are deeply imbricated in China’s are deeply imbricated in China’s expansion – driven by investment from expansion – driven by investment from and consumer demand in ‘core’ economiesand consumer demand in ‘core’ economies

Oil, energy, resourcesOil, energy, resources

Growing competition between China and Growing competition between China and the US, and increasing integration into this the US, and increasing integration into this competition of energy exporters in competition of energy exporters in developing regions – NB: Africa, Latin developing regions – NB: Africa, Latin America, Central AsiaAmerica, Central Asia

‘‘Resources wars’ for the 21Resources wars’ for the 21stst century? century? Challenge to US in global energy politics?Challenge to US in global energy politics? US security interests and China’s relations US security interests and China’s relations

with countries such as Iran, Venezuela, with countries such as Iran, Venezuela, etc. etc.

Global governanceGlobal governance

Significance of the putative expansion of Significance of the putative expansion of the G7/G8 processthe G7/G8 process

Longer term implications of China’s Longer term implications of China’s accession to the WTOaccession to the WTO

Implications of Chinese aid policy for Implications of Chinese aid policy for multilateral donors; China’s relations with multilateral donors; China’s relations with international financial institutionsinternational financial institutions

Global environmental politics Global environmental politics Global governance of labour standards Global governance of labour standards

and human rightsand human rights

Global developmentGlobal development

Has the Chinese growth model challenged Has the Chinese growth model challenged everything we thought we knew about everything we thought we knew about development?development?

To what extent has the emergence of To what extent has the emergence of China reconfigured dominant development China reconfigured dominant development thinking and development options?thinking and development options?

Displacement of established forms of US Displacement of established forms of US dominance in developing regions, or dominance in developing regions, or disruption of structures built around US disruption of structures built around US power?power?