U.S.-China Relations

New export restrictions imposed by China on rare earth elements have significant implications for U.S. sourcing of these critical materials, particularly for defense technologies. The restrictions require licenses for exports, potentially disrupting supply chains and impacting U.S. firms, especially in the defense sector, per commentary from Center for Strategic and International Studies.

The U.S. must navigate the complexities of a potential Taiwan conflict concerning China while preventing nuclear escalation. The evolving nature of China's nuclear capabilities demands a more nuanced approach from the U.S. military, especially regarding its operational strategies, per commentary from RAND Corporation.

The potential for a Chinese invasion of Taiwan poses a significant challenge to U.S. national security. A successful invasion would not only oppress the Taiwanese people but also expand China's influence across East Asia, threatening regional stability, per commentary from RAND Corporation.  

The U.S.-China relationship currently faces significant rivalry that impacts collaboration, yet history shows that even rivals can work together on shared challenges. Understanding and advancing methods for cooperation among nonstate actors will be critical for addressing major global issues, per commentary from Center for Strategic and International Studies.

• Bryan Burack at Heritage Foundation writes that the Trump administration's significant foreign policy legacy was its strategic response to China's economic warfare against the U.S., emphasizing the importance of maintaining these measures for deterrence.
• The article asserts that the Biden administration has adopted a less assertive approach, reviving engagement policies with China due to concerns that aggressive economic protections might provoke conflict, which has led to counterproductive security tradeoffs.

• Experts at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace argue that China's Third Plenum communiqué remains vague on demand-side measures, even though boosting consumption is widely seen as crucial for sustainable growth.

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• The analysis suggests that despite consensus on the need for stronger consumer demand, Beijing faces challenges in shifting from an investment-driven economy due to long-standing transfers that benefit manufacturing, infrastructure, and local governments at the expense of households.