20世纪90年代美国国内有关“中国崛起”的辩论

The Debate over “the Rise of China” in the U.S. during the 1990s

围绕着中国的崛起,在美国国内出现了四种不同的理论解读,一是新现实主义,二是传统现实主义,三是贸易和平论,四是民主现代化论。前两个视角从现实主义的立场出发,将中国的崛起看成是美国的威胁;后两个视角从自由主义的理论出发,认为中国的崛起不会威胁美国的国际地位。前者形成对华“遏制派”,后者便是对华“接触派”,两派对中国的经济、军事、政治和意识形态的解读各抒己见,见仁见智,从1993年至今,展开了激烈的对华政策辩论。这次辩论打破了美国传统的政治分野和内政外交之间的界线,给两国关系造成一定的负面影响,而辩论双方在逻辑前提和政策目标等方面又有许多共通之处。

Concerning the rise of China, four theoretical interpretations appeared in the United States in the 1990s: Neo-Realism, Traditional Realism, Trade Pacifism, and Democratic Modernism. Starting from the position of Realism, the former two regarded China as a threat to the U.S., and formed the theoretical underpin for the policy of containment, while, being based on Liberalism, the latter two thought that economic development would eventually soften China's intention, and supported the policy of engagement. Since 1993, the advocates of containment and engagement have hotly debated over China's economic strength, military capability, politics and ideology. This debate has gone beyond the traditional divide in American politics and blurred the boundary between American domestic politics and foreign policy. This debate, to some degree, has negatively affected Sino- U.S. relations.