The Sino-American world conflict

Abstract

The Sino-American conflict syndrome contains several elements. It is based on a regional status competition, which is increasingly becoming global. This competition for influence has become combined with an ideological antagonism that has recently become more focused on the US side. Since the United States and China perceive each other as potential military adversaries and plan their operations accordingly, the security dilemma also shapes their relationship. The strategic rivalry is particularly pronounced on China’s maritime periphery, dominated by military threat perceptions and the US expectation that China intends to establish an exclusive sphere of influence in East Asia. Global competition for influence is closely interwoven with the techno-logical dimension of American-Chinese rivalry. It is about dominance in the digital age. The risk for international politics is that the intensifying strategic rivalry between the two states condenses into a structural world conflict. This could trigger de-globalization and the emergence of two orders, one under the predominant influence of the United States and the other under China’s influence. (author's abstract)