A Misunderstood Power China, the US, and a year of deteriorating relations, 2010.

Abstract

The year 2010 witnessed a dramatic decline in the US-China relationship, primarily over issues related to the Chinese currency, geopolitics, and human rights. Beijing’s apparent intransigence over these issues led to the perception of China’s growing assertiveness, prompting Washington to harden its stance vis-a-vis Beijing. As this thesis will show, however, such notions misinterpreted the rationale behind Beijing’s stand over the issues, distorting in the process the true nature of China’s rise. Consequently, US pressure served only to aggravate tensions between the two countries, contributing ultimately to the deterioration in bilateral relations.