There is no question that the sudden outbreak of the coronavirus and the heavy causalities it has brought to the US have led to an unhealthy and even dangerous path toward heightened antagonism in Sino-US relations The friction between Beijing and Washington over COVID-19, however, may have also overshadowed some more fundamental elements underlying their interactions that will continue to shape bilateral ties and even international systemic mega-trends, long after the current crisis In fact, the ongoing discourse on the implications of the pandemic has already raised questions about how it may affect strategic competition, a potential power shift between the US and China, and even international order in general It is, therefore, highly important to have a sober and systemic assessment of the drivers and momentums that have been molding US-China relations to understand the relationship's future, during and after the COVID-19 crisis
The China Challenge: Competitor or Order Transformer?