The United States and China: A History from the Eighteenth Century to the Present

by Dong Wang

Combining original research with contemporary scholarship, The United States and China re-examines over two centuries of interaction between the United States and China in a changing world. It explains the foundations and character of their political, economic, military, social, and cultural relations, and shows how they have come to shape the domestic and international affairs of the two countries. American-Chinese relations have also been affected by national and global forces. Societal interchanges and government-level interactions are the dual themes of this research survey. Since 1784 when the first American ship, the Empress of China, landed in Canton (Guangzhou), U.S.-Chinese relations have moved from the periphery to the center of strategic attention, for both countries. This transformation has not eroded either American supremacy or Chinese sovereignty, but in the 21st century has given rise to a new order of national, bilateral, and supranational institutions that conjoins the two peoples. Progress, patience and, most importantly, peace are the proven historical cure for the various ills engendered by Sino-U.S. interactions.This text offers the first comprehensive synthesis of the history of U.S.-Chinese relations from initial contact to the present. Balancing the modern (1784-1949) and contemporary (1949- ) periods, Dong Wang retraces centuries of interaction between two of the world's great powers from the perspective of both sides. The author explores key themes in each phase of the relationship and highlights important case studies for more in-depth treatment. She examines state-to-state diplomacy, as well as economic, social, military, religious, and cultural interplay within varying national and international contexts. In both form and content, these multi-faceted encounters have shaped one of the most significant bilateral relationships of our time. As China itself continues to grow in global importance, so does the U.S.-Chinese relationship, and this book provides an essential grounding for understanding its past, present, and possible futures.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Politics

390 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 16, 2012

Reviews

[Lorenzo · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is pretty much the best book around. A well-researched academic book drawing on original sources and taking existing research into account in a balanced way, this is nonetheless a delightful read, a text-book with a focus on the human stories, written vividly and yet with great precision. No matter whether it's the old Canton trade, Pearl S. Buck, or the diplomatic wranglings in the 1990s, this book reflects the details and complex dynamics that make us think. The main drawback of the book is that it does not cover the huge developments of the last eight years: China's more assertive global stance and ambition to become a leader in science and technology, the trade war and the Corona crisis. There is much new material to add.

[Ida Schmitt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Offering so much depth and breadth, the solid quality of this book is hard to beat, and it is standing the test of time. I highly recommend this book to anyone who cares about the United States, China, and their consequential bilateral relationship that affects the well-being of our world today.

[Todd · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent content and history. I loved how complex his analysis was, never allowing the narrative to slip into easy binaries or stereotypes or pat answers. The writing itself, however, is dry, formulaic, and in some ways insulting to the reader, as every argument is enumerated, spelled out, repeated, and drudged over repeatedly.

[Ida Schmitt · Rating 5 out of 5]

The correct place to view this book is: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1.... The book title listed at goodreads.com here is unfortunately wrong. It should be: The United States and China: A History from the Eighteenth Century to the Present. As a serious reader, I found the quality of this book superior.

[Lorenzo · Rating 5 out of 5]

The title seems wrong!

[Jesse Morrow · Rating 3 out of 5]

What starts as a fun read, quickly devolves into a history textbook. It's a perfectly fine history textbook. But still a textbook nevertheless.

The end is slightly more upbeat. Maybe the problems between the US and China are just differences of accounting(?)