ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the significance of the bilateral relationship, and the role within it of Chinese public perception of the United States. It discusses the main contours of Chinese perception of the United States, in terms of its heterogeneity and stability. The Barack Obama administration's China policy does have a sharpening focus on the Asia-Pacific region through its "strategic pivot to Asia" initiative, later rephrased as "rebalancing toward Asia" to avoid misinterpretation in terms of implied US military intentions. The Chinese public is receptive to many aspects of US soft power and holds favorable views toward US technology and business, and toward its democratic values. The Chinese public's largely ambivalent views aside, the United States has become a go-to destination for Chinese private investment, tourism, and study abroad. In addition, the US NBA is one of the most popular brands in China, with 70 million followers on Sina Weibo and Tencent's microblog platforms.
