Professor's Information:

Zheng Anguang,

Department of History

Course description: 

The Sino-American Relationship is the most important bilateral relationship in the world, which is even beyond the bilateral relationship in the greater system of geopolitical and global framework. The purpose of the course is to provide the students with a historical overview of the long and complicated Sino-American relationship, with a special focus on the U.S. approach to the problem of divided China and diversity of China.

The course will deal with diplomacy and war, mutual perceptions, hot issues in the mutual relations arising from the existence of the mainland China and Taiwan. We will also focus on the recent developments in the relations, development of the PLA, trade issues, maritime disputes in East Sea and South China Sea, internet security and issues of Taiwan. Also, we will address post-9/11 Sino-American relations and the debate about the rise of China and its implications for the U.S. We will explore the domestic dynamics in both countries which made the basis of mutual relation.
Its thematic thrust will be more practical and policy-oriented than theoretical.

Course plan:

Readings, lectures, and discussion will focus on the historical evolution of the relationship, the domestic context of policy making in each country, the impact of mutual perceptions, several functional arenas of interaction between the two nations and governments, and prospects for the future.