THE HISTORY OF CHINA'S RELATIONS WITH THE UNITED STATES: Analysis of bilateral relations through some of the main organs of the Chinese Communist Party

Abstract

What used to be an undisputed leadership status is now threatened by the inexorable force: China, today, is a superpower at the level of the United States. This study will describe the events and agreements that have contributed to the evolution of bilateral relations, from the events in Tiananmen to the economic and trade agreement ceremony on 15 January 2020. During this time the relations have been of ups and downs, of cooperation but also of competition on several fronts. The thesis will analyze also the risks and modalities of a possible conflict that could upset the hierarchies and the way of life of the whole world. To do so, monographs and articles taken from some Chinese online newspapers, considered media dependent on the Communist Party, have been used. The first chapter will explore in depth the Propaganda and Public Information system and the influence the Party has had in them, how the Communication system has developed over the years, finally the content and structure of the various online newspapers considered and the role of the Party within them. The second chapter will examine the first interactions and disputes between China and the United States and the rapid growth of the Asian giant. The events of Tiananmen, the entry into the WTO, Obama’s foreign policy will be important parts of this section that will end with the reference to the “Thucydides trap” mentioned on several occasions by the Chinese leader Xi Jinping. The third chapter will deal with the most recent history of relations since the election of Donald Trump to the White House. In particular, it will focus on some articles taken from the Chinese newspapers described in the first chapter, to understand the way the Chinese media tell about relations and agreements with the United States. Finally, I used the conclusions to set out my thoughts on the tensions between the two superpowers and the possible repercussions.