ABSTRACT
Prudence requires examination of a range of possible outcomes for China’s ongoing transition. The rapid growth of China’s wealth and power and a prominent role in Asian and world politics have increased the importance of China for American interests. The United States could find China to be a cooperative partner on a number of regional problems that are of concern to the United States and over which China has considerable influence. Countries near China-such as India, Russia, Mongolia, Japan, and South Korea-may call for US or international assistance to protect their borders and deal with the consequences of Chinese unrest. Development of a China-dominated economic zone would be impossible. They emphasize that the United States and China have fundamental underlying conflicts and differing value systems that are unlikely to moderate; the United States and other Western countries should maintain military superiority over China and take no actions that might benefit the current system of government.
