Why did the US pursue, from the perspective of Structural Realism, an underactive grand strategy towards China in 1991-2011, but a more optimal strategy in 2011-2018? In a very permissive strategic environment, when the threat from a rising power is distant and small, the space for decision-makers’ misperceptions and resource constraints to interfere with strategy expands, and decision-makers worry less about potential security losses from trade. However, in a less permissive strategic environment, the space for such interference contracts, and decision-makers worry more about security losses from trade.

Speaker: Michiel Foulon, Senior Researcher, Center for Security Studies (CSS), ETH Zürich

(Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons, IecsOwnwork)