CHINA .1. THE COMING CONFLICT WITH AMERICA

Many American policymakers and Sinologists believe that China will ine vitably become nonideological, pragmatic, materialistic, and progressi vely freer in its culture and politics. Beijing, however, sees the Uni ted States not asa strategic partner but as the chief obstacle to its regional and global ambitions. Under cover of its current conciliatory mood, China acquires the wherewithal to back its aspirations regardin g Taiwan and beyond with real power. America's number one objective in Asia must be to derail China's quest to become a 21st-century hegemon .