UNITED STATES' ATTEMPT TO BALANCE THE RISE OF CHINA IN ASIA

U.S. policymakers are closely assessing the rise of China at all levels. Both popular and academic discourse in the United States is increasingly focused on the future of U.S.-China relations, with the latter's emergence as a world power threatening the former's hegemony. Since 2001 American foreign policy objectives have included an overt balancing strategy against China. As revealed in the 2002 National Security Strategy, the U.S. saw India as a global partner which could "help maintain a stable balance in Asia." The following paper assesses the rise of China. It then reviews the Bush administration's early response to the "threat" of rising Chinese power. Further, the paper discusses how Washington has consolidated its friendship with India through the Missile Defence Initiative and the U.S.-India civil nuclear deal. Finally the paper analyses the possible effects of the Bush administration's "realist" policies in shaping the emerging global power system.