China and the United States: the case for smart appeasement

Abstract

How can ties between the United States and China be restored to good health? In this provocation, I argue that the deterioration of US-China relations has become so severe that it is now incumbent upon China's leaders to pursue the “smart appeasement” of the United States–that is, to take dramatic measures designed to pull the rug from under anti-China forces in America while strengthening the hand of those who wish for more stable and productive Sino-American relations. I acknowledge that the language of appeasement is unlikely to win over many converts in Beijing. But the reality is that China's own national interests–not to mention the broader interests of the international community–are dependent upon America's domestic conversation on China policy taking a sharp turn for the better. Only Chinese leaders have the power to bring about such a shift in how China is perceived in US politics. Simply put, China has no choice but to try to rescue its most important bilateral relationship. In turn, this means something approximating the policy of smart appeasement outlined here.