China, US Power and the Future of the Contemporary World Order Professor Nicola Phillips University of Manchester

China and US Power Can the emergence of China be said to represent a challenge to the global dominance of the United States? Can the emergence of China be said to represent a challenge to the global dominance of the United States? Is the emergence of China to be understood instead as integral to the world order structured by US power? Is the emergence of China to be understood instead as integral to the world order structured by US power? How does the emergence of China fit into the bigger picture of US power? Does it represent an indication of the limits or decline of US power, or is it a reflection of the expansion of US power? How does the emergence of China fit into the bigger picture of US power? Does it represent an indication of the limits or decline of US power, or is it a reflection of the expansion of US power?

Founding arguments: 1 Limits of US power: importance of not overstating the extent of US primacy Limits of US power: importance of not overstating the extent of US primacy  ‘Structural-agential disjuncture’ in US power  Vulnerabilities of US dominance – NB: energy, finance/debt, ideological power, soft power  How feasible is a project of ‘global hegemony’? China and the ‘new declinism’ in the US China and the ‘new declinism’ in the US

Founding arguments: 2 Importance of disaggregating US power by sphere and issue area Importance of disaggregating US power by sphere and issue area Implications of disaggregation for understandings of Chinese power Implications of disaggregation for understandings of Chinese power Theoretical extrapolation from US global hegemonic project in assessments of emerging Chinese power, especially in internal debates in the US Theoretical extrapolation from US global hegemonic project in assessments of emerging Chinese power, especially in internal debates in the US

Founding arguments: 3 Understanding of the transnational nature of the Chinese economy and Chinese industrialisation: China as site of accumulation strategies of transnational capital Understanding of the transnational nature of the Chinese economy and Chinese industrialisation: China as site of accumulation strategies of transnational capital China in global production chains China in global production chains Manner in which US capital and consumers are deeply imbricated in China’s expansion – driven by investment from and consumer demand in ‘core’ economies Manner in which US capital and consumers are deeply imbricated in China’s expansion – driven by investment from and consumer demand in ‘core’ economies

Oil, energy, resources Growing competition between China and the US, and increasing integration into this competition of energy exporters in developing regions – NB: Africa, Latin America, Central Asia Growing competition between China and the US, and increasing integration into this competition of energy exporters in developing regions – NB: Africa, Latin America, Central Asia ‘Resources wars’ for the 21 st century? ‘Resources wars’ for the 21 st century? Challenge to US in global energy politics? Challenge to US in global energy politics? US security interests and China’s relations with countries such as Iran, Venezuela, etc. US security interests and China’s relations with countries such as Iran, Venezuela, etc.

Global governance Significance of the putative expansion of the G7/G8 process Significance of the putative expansion of the G7/G8 process Longer term implications of China’s accession to the WTO Longer term implications of China’s accession to the WTO Implications of Chinese aid policy for multilateral donors; China’s relations with international financial institutions Implications of Chinese aid policy for multilateral donors; China’s relations with international financial institutions Global environmental politics Global environmental politics Global governance of labour standards and human rights Global governance of labour standards and human rights

Global development Has the Chinese growth model challenged everything we thought we knew about development? Has the Chinese growth model challenged everything we thought we knew about development? To what extent has the emergence of China reconfigured dominant development thinking and development options? To what extent has the emergence of China reconfigured dominant development thinking and development options? Displacement of established forms of US dominance in developing regions, or disruption of structures built around US power? Displacement of established forms of US dominance in developing regions, or disruption of structures built around US power?