Coexistence of the US and China: A Bipolar Power Dynamics

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In today's world, the international system is unipolar with the United States reigning supreme. However, in the coming years, it is predicted that the system will switch to a bipolar system with the United States and China having comparatively similar power. The United States and China, two powerful and influential countries on the international level who differ greatly from one another. China, a country which has customs and traditions deeply embedded into every corner of its systems and America, which is a new country with customs and traditions ranging greatly from family to family. The question arises, can these two powerhouses coexist in a bipolar system where both countries are relatively equal superpowers? Yes the United States and China can coexist peacefully in a bipolar system due to the three points of the Kantian Tripod: reciprocity, trade, and democracy. …show more content…

The first aspect is reciprocity, which describes how one country will not violate another country in fear of the consequences that the action would bring. It is based on the simple statement: you comply, I comply. (Hillebrecht 2017) International regime also play a huge role in reciprocity. According to Professor Hilbrecht, “Krasner (1983): International regimes are a “set of rules, norms and procedures around which the expectations of actors converge in a certain issue area.” There is the fear that what you do today could affect you negatively tomorrow. Other institutions such as the United Nations (UN) also have a set of rules that each country that is a member is required to follow to avoid conflicts with all the other

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