ABSTRACT
As China grows in influence and power around the globe, nations that have thus far shaped the way the world works wonder what kind of superpower China will become. In order to assess the realistic possibilities of Sino–US leadership on climate and the Anthropocene, it is necessary to first examine the strategic considerations shaping US foreign and security policies in the Asia–Pacific region, how they impact China's rise and the PRC's response in turn. Many analysts take for granted that in the twenty-first century, a US–China rivalry is inevitable because China's rapid rise makes it the natural challenger to US hegemony. The climate crisis and the age of the Anthropocene cannot fit into the existing parameters of international relations. Leadership in the age of the Anthropocene should reflect these wide-ranging concerns that need to be dealt with simultaneously.
