The U.S.–China Strategic Rivalry since 2013: Great Power Competition, Technological Contestation, and the Reshaping of the International Order

Abstract

Since 2013, U.S. and China have changed from selective engagement to broad strategic competition, in political, economic, military, technological and geopolitical capacities. The study discovers the significant features behind this competition, including China's global rise, including BRI, military modernisation, technological progress and military presence in the region as well as the United States' competitive actions, such as the Indo-Pacific Strategy, enhanced security alliance, trade instruments and technological restrictions. The paper also studies vital flashpoints such as the South China Sea, Taiwan Strait, cyber security, and the U.S.-China trade war, and their impacts on the security of the region and the world. Given the profound changes in the regional reality between the two powers, China and Pakistan, and between the U.S. and India, there is a particular focus on the impact of this competition in the South Asian region. The study is based on policy documents, academic literature and official reports, and concludes that the U.S.-China rivalry has become the key process in the current international system, affecting global governance, global supply chains, technological innovation and security architecture. The results indicate that the ongoing strategic rivalry will greatly influence the Indo Pacific region's future and will force the regional states to adopt a pragmatic and balanced foreign policy in an increasingly polarized global landscape, especially for Pakistan.