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RAND's China experts have examined a wide range of issues, including the country's military, political, and trade relations, especially with Taiwan and Japan; its environmental, economic, and health policies and prospects; and its international business and intellectual property (copyright) challenges.

Report

Risk of U.S.-China Conflict Should Not Be Ignored or Exaggerated

Oct 2, 2017

Armed conflict between the United States and China isn't likely. But the possibility is real enough to warrant prudent policies and effective deterrence. America should continue to support China's neighbors while drawing Beijing into cooperative security endeavors.
Report

How China Seeks to Wage Modern Warfare

Feb 1, 2018

The People's Liberation Army's approach to training, organizing, and equipping for modern warfare over the past two decades has been influenced by systems thinking. It now characterizes modern warfare as a confrontation between opposing operational systems rather than merely opposing armies.

Explore China

Announcement

Richard H. Solomon, RAND Policy Analyst and Former Diplomat, Dies at 79

Richard H. Solomon, a senior fellow at RAND, a China scholar, and a seasoned diplomat who helped direct U.S. policy toward East Asia under President George H.W. Bush, has died.

Mar 14, 2017
Commentary

What Are the Chances of the U.S. and China Going to War?

War between the United States and China seems far-fetched. But complacency would be a mistake. Washington and Beijing should keep a direct channel open between their defense ministers to defuse any potential crises or escalation.

Mar 14, 2017
Report

Evaluation of the Jinan City Water Ecological Development Implementation Plan and Recommendations for Improvement

RAND evaluated potential effects of uncertain projections of demand and climate change on the ability of the Jinan Municipal Water Resources Bureau to meet its long-term water resources goals for Shandong Province's capital city.

Mar 9, 2017
Commentary

The Era of Coast Guards in the Asia-Pacific Is Upon Us

Coast guards, not navies, are the new asset of choice in East and Southeast Asia to assert sovereignty over disputed waters. China has been expanding its coast guard fleet and many states, like Vietnam and the Philippines, lack the funds to match it.

Mar 8, 2017
Commentary

China Tolerating Vietnam's South China Sea Activities, for Now

China has probably tolerated Vietnam's South China Sea construction activities because it feels confident in its military position in the region. Chinese leaders might change their stance if they believe Vietnam is trying to enlist the support of the U.S. or other partners to settle bilateral disputes.

Mar 3, 2017
Commentary

The New 'Normal' in the East China Sea

China and Japan are engaged in a long-term test of wills over disputed waters and territory in the East China Sea. The Japanese government has acknowledged the challenge it faces and has begun to invest in infrastructure and personnel projects to address it.

Feb 27, 2017
Commentary

Why China Should Feel Good About Taiwan

Chinese leaders should seek to engage in good-faith discussions with Taiwanese counterparts. Beijing should also recognize that Tsai's tentativeness about the new U.S. administration could change if cross-Strait military tensions escalate.

Feb 22, 2017
Report

Transforming Taiwan's Reserve Force

As the political-military challenge from China grows, Taiwan's reserve force may need to play a more prominent role in Taipei's approach to deterring Chinese aggression. Changing its reserve force size, structure, roles, missions, equipment, and training could help Taiwan offset PLA advantages.

Feb 22, 2017
Commentary

China's Opportunity—and Ours

A pivotal moment could be nearing for China's global role and its relationship with the United States. And America may be able to seize a historic opportunity to test Beijing's willingness to act as the co-sponsor of a stable world order.

Feb 19, 2017
Commentary

History and Current Developments Regarding Taiwan's Coast Guard

As Asia-Pacific countries develop policies to regulate maritime zones of jurisdiction, the importance of coast guards as instruments of state policy has been growing. Taiwan's Coast Guard is an increasingly effective force facilitating the protection and regulation of Taiwanese maritime rights and interests in the East and South China Sea.

Feb 15, 2017
Report

Report

Smarter Power, Stronger Partners, Volume II: Trends in Force Projection Against Potential Adversaries

This book describes scenarios to test whether the anti-access and area-denial threat to U.S. force projection is growing more severe. They describe plausible U.S. and adversary military actions given current operational capabilities and approaches.

Feb 8, 2017
Commentary

A Political Earthquake in Seoul and Its Repercussions for U.S. Policy

With new administrations in the U.S. and South Korea, it's time to find a middle ground and set up a new common policy toward North Korea. The pressures felt by both countries make the relationship all the more vital to the historical allies.

Jan 25, 2017
Commentary

China Stressed a Growing Interest in Global Trade and Governance at Davos

President Xi Jinping became the first Chinese leader to appear at the annual gathering of the World Economic Forum last week. He gave a keynote speech that defended global trade and criticized protectionism. His speech reflected, in part, the reality that China has profited enormously from decades of globalization.

Jan 24, 2017
Commentary

Taking Stock of the U.S. Rebalance and the Contest for Influence in Asia

Since 2011, the U.S. has carried out measures designed to bolster its influence in Asia, a region that is projected to play a central role in driving global economic growth. Despite steady progress, with increased diplomatic outreach to China and its neighbors, doubts about the U.S. pivot to Asia have persisted.

Jan 19, 2017
Commentary

Hey Washington Experts — Don't Roll Your Eyes Over Trump, Roll Up Your Sleeves

Policy experts do not want to be irrelevant or ignored. The Trump administration does not want to fail, and needs to generate winning policies. By working together, the administration and the policy community could help one another, and, more importantly, the nation.

Jan 12, 2017
Commentary

Walking Away from One-China Policy Imperils Taiwan

The U.S. One-China policy has helped keep the peace for decades. Abandoning it now could result in stiffer Chinese resolve. Such a strategy may even backfire by triggering an otherwise avoidable crisis.

Dec 22, 2016
Commentary

Cracks in the Chinese Powerhouse

Like most countries that have experienced rapid development, China is struggling to transition from a highly successful but unsustainable economic model. Beijing faces the additional challenge of executing difficult reforms in the face of an inhospitable global economy.

Dec 19, 2016
Commentary

The Risks of an Accelerating Rivalry Between China and Japan

China and Japan have a long history of antagonism but their competition for influence in Asia has recently expanded in the economic, diplomatic, and security domains. The U.S., although a staunch ally of Japan, has served as a mediator. Weakening the U.S. role could aggravate Sino-Japanese tensions to a destabilizing degree.

Dec 12, 2016
Report

Report

Maritime Issues in the East and South China Seas: Summary of a Conference Held January 12–13, 2016

This conference summary presents key insights from a January 2016 conference focusing on maritime disputes in the East and South China Seas.

Dec 12, 2016
Report

Understanding China's Strategy

Beijing's perceptions and assessments aren't static. They evolve as China's standing in the world increases and its interests grow. U.S. leaders should focus on understanding and managing competition with China on a global scale.

Dec 6, 2016

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