Questioning the presumption of a US “consensus” on China policy

It has become almost axiomatic to pronounce—and would initially seem difficult to dispute—that a U.S. “consensus” on China policy has formed. The Trump administration concluded, and the Biden administration agrees, that China seeks to overtake the United States as the world’s preeminent power—a conclusion that offers a rare point of foreign policy continuity between the two administrations. In addition, Republican and Democratic members of Congress alike agree that Beijing is Washington’s foremost geopolitical competitor. And especially over the past decade, the United States has taken a series of steps to offset China’s military modernization, limit its ability to access high-end technological components that could fuel that push, and bolster Washington’s own alliances and partnerships in Europe and Asia.

The full article can be read on the Brookings website.