Adam (00:00.491)
Welcome back to “Simplifying the State,” I’m Adam Watson. Okay, Nicholas, what do you think the Opium Wars, TikTok, and tariffs all have in common?
Nicholas (00:03.446)
Do they all have to do with China?
Adam (00:12.771)
They do! And that’s exactly what we’re diving into today—Sino-U.S. relations. “Sino” being another word for China. So, Nicholas, want to give us a quick rundown of U.S.-China relations?
Nicholas (00:25.622)
Yep. Formal relations between the U.S. and China began with the Treaty of Wangxia in 1844. This treaty heavily favored the U.S., granting it access to five Chinese ports and allowing foreigners to learn Mandarin—something previously outlawed in China. Up until the fall of the Qing Dynasty, relations remained tense due to xenophobic U.S. laws, American economic exploitation of China, and ideological differences.
Things shifted after the dynasty collapsed. The Republic of China rose and fell, leading to the Chinese Civil War. The Communist Party (CCP) defeated the nationalist government, which fled to Taiwan. The U.S. saw this communist shift as a betrayal and continued recognizing the Taiwan-based government as the “real” China until the Nixon administration formally acknowledged the CCP in 1971. However, the U.S. still supported Taiwan, straining its relationship with the CCP.
Over time, China’s economy surged, particularly under Deng Xiaoping’s economic reforms, making it one of the U.S.’s biggest trading partners. But with Xi Jinping’s rise—a leader who leans more authoritarian and Maoist—the U.S. has been keeping a close watch on China.
So, Adam, how does all of this connect to today?
Adam (02:09.135)
I’ll get to that in a second, but first, a quick question—what led to the Treaty of Wangxia? Was it related to the Opium War?
Nicholas (02:22.721)
Yeah, so the treaty was signed because China was struggling to control the opium trade imposed on them. It also established diplomatic and trade relations between China and the U.S., something the U.S. strongly pushed for. America leveraged its influence over European nations and China to secure better trade terms.
Adam (03:41.781)
Got it. Now, back to today. China is shaping up to be the U.S.’s primary geopolitical rival. While it’s one of our largest trading partners, it’s also our biggest economic competitor. In recent years, China has increased military spending and ramped up tensions with countries like the Philippines and Vietnam over territorial disputes—especially regarding the Nine-Dash Line.
The Nine-Dash Line is China’s attempt to expand its maritime borders, claiming waters and islands that belong to other nations. They’ve even built artificial islands with military bases and missile sites, escalating tensions in the Indo-Pacific.
Then, there’s Taiwan. China considers it a breakaway province, not an independent nation. Any Western company doing business in China has to tread carefully on this issue. Xi Jinping has openly stated that China will reunite Taiwan with the mainland—by any means necessary. That’s a problem for the U.S., which has strong ties with Taiwan, both as a democracy and as a key strategic ally. Taiwan is also the world’s largest producer of microchips—essential for everything from smartphones to military tech—so any conflict over Taiwan would have massive global consequences.
Despite this, the U.S. has taken a stance of “strategic ambiguity” on Taiwan. The Taiwan Relations Act states that the U.S. will provide Taiwan with the means to defend itself, but doesn’t explicitly say whether the U.S. would intervene militarily if China attacked. The idea is to keep China guessing while not committing to war.
Nicholas (06:44.430)
Can you go into more detail on the Nine-Dash Line and its implications?
Adam (06:59.049)
Sure. The Nine-Dash Line is basically China redrawing the map to claim more territory. It includes islands controlled by the Philippines, Vietnam, and even Taiwan. China acts as though everything within this zone is its territory, building artificial islands and increasing military activity in the region. This has sparked conflicts with neighboring countries and raised concerns about China’s growing influence in the Indo-Pacific.
Alright, that wraps up today’s episode. Thanks for tuning in to “Simplifying the State.” We’ll be back next week with another topic. See you then!
