the United States has the world's largest economy and China the second largest. China has the world's largest population and the United States has the third largest after India. The two countries are the two largest consumers of motor vehicles and oil,[1] and the two greatest emitters of greenhouse gases.[2]
Relations between China and the United States have been generally stable with some periods of tension, most notably after the dissolution of the Soviet Union, which removed a common enemy and ushered in a world characterized by American dominance. There are also concerns relating to human rights in the People's Republic of China and the political status of Taiwan. There are constant tides and strides in the Sino-U.S. relations, and diplomatic efforts were taken to maintain the positive direction in this international relationship, such as James R. Lilley around 1990's.[3]
While there are some tensions in American-Chinese relations, there are also many stabilizing factors. The PRC and the United States are major trade partners and have common interests in the prevention and suppression of terrorism and nuclear proliferation. The U.S.-China trade relationship is the second largest in the world.[4]