Summary
What explains the twists and turns in U.S.-China relations since Richard Nixon initiated a policy of engagement in the early 1970’s? Addressing this question, Jean Garrison examines the politics behind U.S. China policy across six administrations – from Nixon to George W. Bush. Garrison finds that a focus on the internal decision making process is key to understanding both continuity and change in more than three decades of U.S.-China relations. Incorporating interactions at the levels of strategic context, presidential beliefs and leadership style, and bureaucratic politics, she constructs a comprehensive explanation of how China policy was formed in each administration. Her thorough – and engaging – account sheds new light on U.S. foreign policy making in general, as well as on Washington’s China policy.
