Introduction

The United States, China and the European Union encompass a substantial part of the military, economic, political and ‘soft’ power in the world. The interaction of these three power centres will have a profound impact on the international system in a period of changing power balances and uncertainty about the future world order. Although each actor is interested in preserving aspects of the contemporary international order that has promoted their respective interests in US preponderance, European stability and prosperity and China’s rise and unparalleled economic growth, there is simultaneously lack of consensus about important aspects of the international order. This volume is about these converging and diverging views within the triangle of the international order. The subsequent chapters consider how Europe, China and the United States can cooperate to both achieve their respective interests and to manage conflicts of interests.