Jiachen Shi
“Politics stops at the water’s edge.” The famous maxim coined by U.S. Senator Arthur Vandenberg appears to have waned in influence in modern U.S. foreign policy. This is especially evident in the policymaking process toward China, where not only do inter- and intra-party conflicts often pervade the discourse, but bureaucratic politics also play an increasingly prominent role.
As China emerges as a strategic competitor to the United States, its issues have transcended the traditional spheres of policymaking, such as the State and Defense Departments, the intelligence community, and various economic bodies. Consequently, the landscape of actors engaged in China-U.S. relations has significantly diversified and expanded over the past few years.
For instance, the National Security Council (NSC) has steadily expanded its China-focused staff from the Obama administration through to the Biden administration. In December 2022, the State Department established the Office of China Coordination, colloquially referred to as the “China House,” reminiscent of the Cold War-era “Soviet House.” Similarly, the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) initiated organizational changes with the creation of the China Mission Center (CMC), indicating a heightened prioritization of China within the intelligence community. Additionally, the Department of Justice (DOJ) launched the China Initiative in 2018, aimed at countering economic and national security threats posed by China, particularly in critical infrastructure and the private sector.
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