The West, China and 'Systemic Rivalry' – Coalitions and Counter-coalitions
Recent years have seen intensifying US coalition-building efforts among partners and allies to address common concerns about the People’s Republic of China. This has moved beyond classic military balancing in Asia to focus on the economic, technological and ideological dimensions of competition and rivalry with China, in the process bringing a different cluster of states ‒ particularly in Europe ‒ to the fore in US China strategy. The PRC has also been rebalancing its own approach to partners and quasi-allies, moving beyond its traditional non-alignment to deepen ties with states that can offer advantages to China in its contest with the United States. This development is exemplified by the Sino-Russian joint statement of February 2022 and recent shifts to China’s global military basing plans. The talk will explore how the new form of ‘systemic rivalry’ came about, and how the war in Ukraine is affecting its trajectory, offering a preview of the speaker’s forthcoming book on the subject.

Andrew Small is a senior transatlantic fellow with GMF’s Asia Program, which he established in 2006. His research focuses on US–China relations, Europe–China relations, Chinese policy in South Asia, and broader developments in China’s foreign and economic policy.
Date: 8 June 2022, 10:00 (Wednesday, 7th week, Trinity 2022)
Venue: Online
Speaker: Andrew Small (German Marshall Fund)
Organising department: Faculty of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies
Organiser: Professor Todd Hall (University of Oxford)
Organiser contact email address: information@chinese.ox.ac.uk
Host: Professor Todd Hall (University of Oxford)
Part of: International Relations of China
Booking required?: Required
Booking url: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_8D2evArzRJCXWiPd2tbYEA
Cost: Free
Audience: Public
Editor: Clare Orchard