서강대학교

초록/요약

For several decades, the U.S. dominated the Asia-Pacific region. By continuously intervening in the region, the U.S. has formed an order of the region based on its own design. And for several years, one of the biggest issues in the region has been the rise of China. Because of its huge land and large population, China is regarded as a land of possibility. Now, as the realization of this possibility turns China into a major power, it is re-ordering international relations in the region. In the context of these changing power dynamics and China’s growing potential, this thesis explores the question of what stance China will take in the future toward the U.S., and how the U.S. will respond. Within the framework of U.S.-China relations, this thesis examines how the security dilemma would be mitigated and economic interdependence would tighten, whether or not the countries willingly participate in these changes. The loss by one country does not necessarily mean the other country will profit, but could instead lead to losses for both. To avoid losses, both countries have an incentive to develop a relationship that takes the form of a partnership to maintain the status quo and the supremacy of each country. In this context, the thesis has significance in that it examines the intertwined relationship of the two superpowers as a positive sum game, rather than a zero sum game.