This book examines the transformation and the multifaceted nature of the relationship between US and China in the post-Cold War era. It examines their nature and implications of their strategic competition in military, political and economic terms, as well as in relation to Taiwan, Japan, the Korean peninsula and Central Asia; the author argues that both powers compete in virtually every sphere in the international system; their relationship is overall competitive rather than co-operative, even in areas that are amenable to co-operation such as trade and nuclear non-proliferation.

The book addresses important questions including: does China's growing power and influence unavoidably come at the expense of the United States or the wider world? And asks to what extent do the national interests and policies of the United States and China coincide or diverge on a host of regional issues? It covers all the important issues including politics, security, nuclear deterrence, military modernization, energy, trade and economic interaction, and Asia-Pacific power reconfiguration.