THE CHINA FALLACY

How the U.S. Can Benefit from China’s Rise
and Avoid Another Cold War

by DONALD GROSS

The United States is now at a historical crossroads in the Asia Pacific. It can either continue seeking to contain China while adopting more protectionist measures that restrict Chinese trade and investment. Or it can strive to achieve a new paradigm for improved U.S.-China relations, drawing on America’s superior military, economic and political power.

Former White House and State Department official Donald Gross argues in his thought-provoking and landmark new book, THE CHINA FALLACY: How the U.S. Can Benefit from China’s Rise and Avoid Another Cold War, that the best way to overcome the “China threat” and advance U.S. interests in the region is by achieving a stable peace with China through the resolution of outstanding security and economic conflicts between the two countries.

Gross calls into question the unrealistic premise of maintaining U.S. military primacy in Asia for the indefinite future. He argues that instead of helping the United States benefit from China’s economic juggernaut, protectionist policy harms America’s prosperity. He contends that increased American military pressure on China strengthens China’s Communist Party, allowing it to justify draconian security measures at home to repress human rights and democracy.

To bring both stability to the region and prosperity to the United States, Gross proposes that the U.S. should return to its traditional strategic goal of preventing any foreign power from dominating the Asia Pacific. He believes that eliminating trade barriers would unleash far greater trade and investment between the two countries. Based on the historical experience of Soviet dissidents, he argues that improved U.S.-China relations will significantly strengthen the advocates of human rights and democracy in China.

Sure to provoke controversy, THE CHINA FALLACY is critical reading for anyone who wants to understand past, present and future U.S. policy toward China.

About Donald Gross

Donald Gross is a policy expert, strategist and lawyer who also serves as senior associate of Pacific Forum CSIS, a non-profit research institute affiliated with the Center for Strategic and International Studies. A former State Department official, he developed diplomatic strategy toward East Asia and negotiated sensitive international agreements. Earlier, he was counselor of the U.S. Arms Control and Disarmament Agency and director of legislative affairs at the National Security Council in the White House.