• Research
  • Emissary
  • About
  • Experts
Carnegie Global logoCarnegie lettermark logo
DemocracyIran
  • Donate
Managing Sino-American Crises: Case Studies and Analysis
Book

Managing Sino-American Crises: Case Studies and Analysis

Sensitivities and suspicions between Washington and Beijing have heightened as China’s global power and influence have grown. Arguably, this new international order could increase the chances of a political-military crisis—or perhaps outright conflict—between the two powers.

Link Copied
By Michael D. Swaine, Tuosheng Zhang, Danielle F.S. Cohen
Published on Dec 4, 2006

Additional Links

Table of ContentsIntroductionBook Review in <i>The China Quarterly</i>Paperback - $24.95
Program mobile hero image

Program

Asia

The Asia Program in Washington studies disruptive security, governance, and technological risks that threaten peace, growth, and opportunity in the Asia-Pacific region, including a focus on China, Japan, and the Korean peninsula.

Learn More

Source: Washington

The Taiwan Strait.  The Korean War and Vietnam. The bombing of the Chinese Embassy in Belgrade. The Sino-U.S. aircraft collision incident.  U.S.-China relations have witnessed significant tensions and conflict.

Sensitivities and suspicions between Washington and Beijing have heightened as China’s global power and influence have grown. Arguably, this new international order could increase the chances of a political-military crisis—or perhaps outright conflict—between the two powers. Managing Sino-American Crises brings together Chinese and American officials and participants in past confrontations, as well as scholars from both countries, to explore the changing features of crisis behavior and their implications for defusing future encounters. Using both conceptual analysis and historical case studies, the essays in this volume identify specific problems and opportunities that will likely confront both countries in the future and propose recommendations that will improve the effectiveness of crisis management skills between the United States and China.


About the Authors

Michael D. Swaine is a senior associate with the China Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

Zhang Tuosheng is director of the research department and senior fellow at the China Foundation for International and Strategic Studies.

Danielle F. S. Cohen was a junior fellow with the China Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace from 2005-2006.

Advance Praise

"This is an important and timely book that sheds new light on what will be the most important strategic relationship of the 21st century. By examining the similarities and divergence between Chinese and American approaches to crisis management over the past fifty years, this study produces insights which could literally mean the difference between peace and war in future crises. The rich historical detail, combined with the unique perspectives of both practitioners and scholars, make this volume invaluable for both policymakers and students of US-Chinese relations."
—James B. Steinberg, Dean, Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs, The University of Texas at Austin, and former deputy national security advisor to President Bill Clinton

"This volume is rich in insights ... Swaine's essays, and the case studies that they bracket, deserve a wide audience and careful consideration within China and without."
—The China Quarterly

About the Authors

Michael D. Swaine

Former Senior Fellow, Asia Program

Swaine was a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and one of the most prominent American analysts in Chinese security studies.

Tuosheng Zhang

Danielle F.S. Cohen

Authors

Michael D. Swaine
Former Senior Fellow, Asia Program
Michael D. Swaine
Tuosheng Zhang
Danielle F.S. Cohen

Additional Links

Table of ContentsIntroductionBook Review in <i>The China Quarterly</i>Paperback - $24.95
China

Carnegie does not take institutional positions on public policy issues; the views represented herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of Carnegie, its staff, or its trustees.

More Work from Carnegie Endowment for International Peace

  • Planetary Power: Geoengineering and the New Geopolitics of Climate Intervention
    Research
    Planetary Power: Geoengineering and the New Geopolitics of Climate Intervention

    Geoengineering is becoming a geopolitical question as much as a climate one. The way states and the private sector pursue these technologies, assess risks, and drive research increasingly appears focused on gaining a strategic edge. In a field where governance in lagging behind, Europe should keep track of the geopolitical implications if it is to develop effective regulatory frameworks.

      Olivia Lazard, ed.

  • protesters carrying anti-AI banners
    Commentary
    Emissary
    Speed Isn’t Working as an AI Strategy. The U.S. Has a Better Option.

    It would provide a golden opportunity to reconsider what success looks like.

      • Michael Mazarr

      Michael Mazarr

  • Commentary
    Carnegie Politika
    Price Analysis Shows China Holds Upper Hand in Russia Gas Supply Talks

    A leak of Russian gas price data helps establish that China is paying Russia far less than Central Asian countries and Gazprom’s former European customers.

      • Sergey Vakulenko

      Sergey Vakulenko

  • Commentary
    The Spring and Autumn of Chinese Politics

    China’s political future will be shaped between now and next October. As the Communist Party enters its intense “campaign season” to prepare for a major political transition in 2027, reading Beijing's actions and responses may become more difficult as domestic politics weigh on its behavior more than usual.

      • Damien Ma

      Damien Ma

  • Article
    Can China Turn Its Small Modular Reactor Ambitions into Commercial Reality?

    China has showcased its engineering prowess with small modular reactor demonstration projects. But turning these technological achievements into commercial success will be a greater challenge.

      Tong Zhao

Get more news and analysis from
Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
Carnegie global logo, stacked
1779 Massachusetts Avenue NWWashington, DC, 20036-2103Phone: 202 483 7600
  • Research
  • Emissary
  • About
  • Experts
  • Donate
  • Programs
  • Events
  • Blogs
  • Podcasts
  • Contact
  • Annual Reports
  • Careers
  • Privacy
  • For Media
  • Government Resources
Get more news and analysis from
Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
© 2026 Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. All rights reserved.