9ㆍ11 以後 美中關係 變化와 韓半島

The Developments of the U.S.-China Relationship in the post-9ftt era and the Korean Peninsula

This article attempts to examine the developments in the U.S-China relations after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 and its impact on the Korean Peninsula. The post-91l1 era has witnessed a significant improvement in the U.S.-China relations. The conflict relationship of the pre-91l1 changed into more cooperative and stable one after the September 11 th terrorist attacks. However, whether the stable relationship between the two countries will last still remains to be seen. Two important factors have influenced the changing dynamics of the U.S.-China relations: the strategic interests and mutual perceptions of each country. The patterns of relations have been very complex. The complexity of the U.S.-China relationship is reflected in the repeated pattern of conflict, competition and cooperation in security relations in the midst of the expansion of the economic relations between the two. There are two scenarios for the future relationship between the two: optimistic and pessimistic. Due to the complexity of the relationship, it is hard to project the future prospects of the overall U.S-China relationship. It could be argued that continuous developments of economic relations between the two enable the two countries more interdependent and cooperative. However, the possibility of confrontation in military and security issues including Taiwan issue cannot be ruled out. The analysis in this essay shows optimistic View The future U.S.-China relations could be affected by the policies of the U.S toward China based on its perception of China. Especially, the U.S. perception of China will affect the future course of developments of their relations. The relations between the U.S. and China has an important implications on the future of Korea. The cooperation between the two countries is essential to settle North Korea nuclear issues and achieve the peaceful reunification of the Korean peninsula. While the U.S. and China maintain stable relations, Korea needs to develop the security mechanism in which the changing U.S.-China relationship influences less and less on the Korean peninsula.