結束近半個世紀的對峙,美國擺脫與蘇聯的兩極競爭,成為後冷戰時期「一超多強」的世界霸主。然而伴隨高經濟成長率、擁有廣大領土與資源的中國正崛起當中,近年的貿易地位不僅與美國互為第二大貿易夥伴,於國際之影響力逐漸與美國平起平坐。這不止令美國人民升起對於「中國威脅論」之恐慌,更讓美國高層極力設法鞏固自身霸權地位。 多數人心目中的國際「均勢」,係為世界各國維持相對穩定的關係,盡量避免嚴重影響國際和平的武裝衝突或戰爭發生。若有某一國家崛起並試圖改變國際現狀,希望在國際權力更替之際為自己帶來更多權力及利益,各國關係必隨之緊繃。故本論文試圖以「均勢」、「霸權穩定論」為理論分析,再以自1996年以來的時事相結合,分析中美兩國基本互動理念與脈絡。
The U.S. has become one superpower and several powers in the post-Cold War World, after the end of the half-century U.S.-Soviet bi-polar competition. China, however, is rising to the status of great power. With its high economic growth rate, far and wide land, and rich resources, China and the U.S. are major trade partners and its diplomatic activism into other countries gradually has significant implications for its relationship with the United States in recent years. This not only triggers panic among the American citizens about “the China threat theory”, but the United States manages to consolidate its position in the world. Most people define the international balance of power as the stable relations among countries and the avoidance of armed conflict or wars that seriously affect the world peace. If one country emerges to seek to change the current international situation, and bring itself more power and benefits during the power shifts, this would cause tense relations among countries. This study tried to analyze the interaction between the U.S. and China with ‘Balance of power’ and “Hegemonic stability theory” as the theories, and combined the current affairs since 1996.