Chinese Perceptions of the U.S.: An Exploration of China’s Foreign Policy Motivations

283 Pages·2011·2.105 MB·English

by  Biwu Zhang

Chinese Perceptions of
the U.S.

Chinese Perceptions of
the U.S.
An Exploration of China’s
Foreign Policy Motivations
Biwu Zhang
LEXINGTON BOOKS
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British Library Cataloguing in Publication Information Available
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Zhang, Biwu, 1957-
Chinese perceptions of the U.S. : an exploration of China’s foreign policy motivations /
Biwu Zhang.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references.
ISBN 978-0-7391-7085-4 (cloth : alk. paper) — ISBN 978-0-7391-7086-1 (electronic)
1. United States—Foreign relations—China. 2. China—Foreign relations—United
States. I. Title. II. Title: Chinese perceptions of the United States.
JZ1480.A57C6 2011b
327.51073—dc23
2011030762
(cid:2) ™
The paper used in this publication meets the minimum requirements of American
National Standard for Information Sciences—Permanence of Paper for Printed Library
Materials, ANSI/NISO Z39.48-1992.
Printed in the United States of America
To U.S.-China Mutual Understanding and Friendship

Contents
List of Tables ix
Foreword by Richard K. Herrmann xiii
Acknowledgments xv
Chapter 1 What Are China’s Foreign Policy Motivations? 1
Chapter 2 Image Study as an Approach to Explore China’s
Motivations toward the United States 13
Chapter 3 Chinese Perceptions of Threat from the United States 37
Chapter 4 Chinese Perceptions of Opportunity from
the United States 69
Chapter 5 Chinese Perceptions of American Power 101
Chapter 6 Chinese Perceptions of the American Economy 125
Chapter 7 Chinese Perceptions of American Politics 153
Chapter 8 Conclusion 183
Appendix I 207
Appendix II 217
Appendix III 229
Appendix IV 237
Bibliography 243
Index 257
vii

List of Tables
Table 1.1 Schools in the China Threat Debate 3
Table 2.1 Components of National Images 14
Table 2.2 National Images 15
Table 2.3 Perceivers of National Images 16
Table 2.4 Approaches for Studying National Perceptions 18
Table 2.5 Research Institutes Covered in the Three
Comparable Projects 23
Table 2.6 Objects Studied in Major Books on Chinese
Perceptions of the United States 26
Table 2.7 Objects Studied in Major Articles on Chinese
Perceptions of the United States 26
Table 2.8 Dimensions in Image Study 27
Table 2.9 Dimensions Endorsed by Very Few Authors 28
Table 3.1 Rules for Presenting the Dominant Chinese
Perceptions of the United States 37
Table 3.2 Articles in the Sample for Studying Chinese
Perceptions of Threat and Opportunity from the
United States 38
Table 3.3 Number of Articles in the Sample Having Expressed
Perceptions of Threat from the United States 39
ix