International Journal of Frontiers in Sociology, 2025, 7(2); doi: 10.25236/IJFS.2025.070206.
Ruolin Hu1, Zhenyang Jin2
1College of Political Science and Public Administration, Shandong University, Qingdao, 266237, China
2College of Public Security Management, People's Public Security University of China, Beijing, 100000, China
This paper examines the evolution of U.S. policy toward China since the founding of the People’s Republic, analyzing how successive U.S. administrations have prioritized national interests in economic, security, and ideological dimensions. Initially hostile, U.S. policy shifted in the 1970s toward cautious engagement, seeking to leverage China as a strategic counterbalance to the Soviet Union. After normalization in 1979, U.S.-China relations evolved through economic cooperation, with the U.S. benefiting from growing trade and investment. However, China’s rapid development eventually challenged U.S. dominance, leading to trade conflicts and heightened competition. Recent administrations have adopted a containment approach to curb China’s influence across economic, military, and ideological spheres. While this strategy intends to secure U.S. interests, it has created financial and geopolitical tensions, highlighting uncertainties about the sustainability of containment in China’s ongoing rise.
U.S.-China Relations, National Interest, Strategic Competition, Containment Policy
Ruolin Hu, Zhenyang Jin. Changes in International Power—The Three Evolutions of U.S. Foreign Policy towards China. International Journal of Frontiers in Sociology (2025), Vol. 7, Issue 2: 37-42. https://doi.org/10.25236/IJFS.2025.070206.
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