The U.S.-China Bilateral Relationship by Kevin James Willett

The United States currently is the largest world economic power. China currently has the fastest growing economy in history. Despite the fact that this foreboding competition may be a productive boost to the world's economy, it may also present problematic hostilities.

With military technologies becoming ever more devastating in an already too violent age, a cold war between superpowers is a mistake that cannot be repeated. In light of the United States current obsessive dependence on fossil fuels and the altercations it has caused, I will focus on the topic of competition for natural power resources.

Chinese government leaders have been optimistic that their country could quadruple its GDP between 2000 and 2020 while only doubling energy consumption. For any other developing country this would be considered an unrealistic goal, as energy consumption during development tends to grow as fast as or even faster than GDP. Yet, China had quadrupled GDP while only doubling energy use from 1980 through 2000.

However, China is already off track in meeting its 2000-2020 energy consumption goals. Energy use, instead of growing half as fast as GDP, has grown faster than GDP on average since 2000. Oil consumption in China has risen only about 70 percent as fast as GDP but this is soon to change. As the country modernizes and becomes more industrial its fossil fuel consumption will catch up. The United States has only recognized the universal importance of energy efficiency in hindsight.

Our relatively recent solutions have rendered billions in capital worthless and done little to save our dying planet. China's growing reliance on fossil fuels will remain the norm without a dismantling of the huge power monopoly, which is highly improbable. While efficiency gains are possible throughout Chinese industry, high costs and lack of financial incentive have prevented significant gains to date. More importantly, China's continuing drive to achieve economic growth will keep the focus of industry on output and not reduction in energy use.

If the Chinese government does not reign in economic growth in a controlled manner, then various bottlenecks in the energy supply system or environmental problems will probably force them to slow their growth in a less controlled manner. China is simply growing too quickly to chance their rapid success with the self control needed to become a wise player in the dangerously dynamic power game.

The predicament that my country has found itself in with the Middle East has hit too close to home. This power struggle is killing people around me and ruining the lives of far more. Our world has stumbled upon a problem that is unprecedented. For once there is a real, concrete substance that everybody needs, and that some will kill for. "Too late" will be very soon if some sort of agreement is not reached. I have no simple solution to offer except the general knowledge that productive relationships must be created.

Just as obvious as the fact that oil is a depleting resource, is the fact that it is something that we must not fight over. Developing a mutually beneficial relationship between the two great countries of China and the United States can only help the bleak world outlook. As quickly as globalization takes over industry, foreign policy must help to mediate peace when greed advocates war.