Jeju Peace Institute

US-China relations have already entered the era of “new normal” wherein the interdependence on global, regional, and bilateral levels increases and strategic cooperation and competition become a daily thing. Nonetheless, progress in the bilateral relations seems hard to achieve since the mutual “strategic distrust” between the two countries remains unchanged.

Future US-China relations will be impacted by the US response to the “New Type of Great Power Relations” proposed by China, whereas strategic cooperation and conflicts between the two will recur depending on the nature of each individual case and/or geographical locations involved along with the competition between the two countries over “norms.”

Continued competition and conflicts between the USA and China are highly likely to limit the scope of our strategic choices. In that context, we should urgently come up with strategic measures that can minimize the potential of “collusion” between the USA and China and “isolation” of South Korea.

To that end, South Korea needs to have its own principles of diplomacy, putting top priority on national interests. It should also enhance strategic communication between South Korea, United States, and Japan while stepping up policy coordination between South Korea, United States, and China and a virtuous cycle between South Korea-China relations and inter-Korean relations.