On the American side, national security concerns have led to a lengthy — and still growing — list of restrictions on technology exports to and investments in China and other channels whereby technology moves around the world. To enhance the strategy’s impact, the US is trying to ensure that other countries join its efforts, including through the threat of sanctions.
Over the last year, the trajectory of Sino-American relations has become indisputable: The US and China are headed toward a substantial, though not complete, decoupling.
Far from resisting this outcome, both sides now seem to have accepted that this will play out as a largely non-cooperative game, to the point that they are embedding it in their policy frameworks. But what exactly will decouple entail, and what will its consequences be?
