This course examines the relationship between the United States and the People’s Republic of China (PRC), which will likely shape international security – and heavily influence Australia’s interests - for the foreseeable future. It is organised around three core questions: (i) how do the United States and China respectively understand national security?; (ii) how have changing power dynamics between the two affected their geopolitical, geoecominc and institutional preferences?; (iii) how might this impact their handling of potential flashpoints in their relationship?; and iv) what are the implications for the security interests of third countries, notably Australia? 

 

Part 1, drawing on international relations, foreign policy and security analysis, examines the sources of national security policy and interests in both states, incorporating individual policy makers, characteristics of domestic institutions and political environment, and international systemic factors. Part 2 then considers the evolution of Chinese and American geopolitical, geoeconomic and institutional preferences. It does so by interrogating the US role in the construction of the “liberal international order”, China’s alternative model based on the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and possible future ‘ordering’ scenarios. Part 3 concludes the course by exploring how Chinese and American approaches to national security strategy might affect their responses to future tensions, including over North Korea and the South China Sea. Part 4 considers implications for third countries and Australia in particular.

Students taking this course will gain an understanding of both conceptual and applied knowledge, as well as awareness of key contemporary controversies in Sino-American relations and their effects on Australia’s national security environment. This will enable them to make informed policy-focused evaluations of the subject matter. Policy practitioner perspectives will be integrated into the course to assist in this regard.

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion, students will have the knowledge and skills to:

1. Understand concepts related to China’s and the United States’ national security interests and environments, with the ability to critically analyse them;
2. Demonstrate familiarity with the historical evolution of national security policy in the Chinese and American contexts;
3. Critically evaluate the role of systemic, domestic and individual factors in shaping Chinese and American national security policy;
4. Identify and articulate the policy challenges and options facing the US, China and third countries as a consequence of US-China security relations;
5. Conduct independent research that demonstrates both scholarly and policy-focused engagement with the subject matter.

Recommended Resources

Whether you are on campus or studying remotely, there are a variety of online platforms you will use to participate in your study program. These could include videos for lectures and other instruction, two-way video conferencing for interactive learning, email and other messaging tools for communication, interactive web apps for formative and collaborative activities, print and/or photo/scan for handwritten work and drawings, and home-based assessment.

ANU outlines recommended student system requirements to ensure you are able to participate fully in your learning. Other information is also available about the various Learning Platforms you may use.

Staff Feedback

Students will be given feedback in the following forms in this course:

• written comments
• verbal comments
• feedback to whole class, groups, individuals, focus group etc

Student Feedback

ANU is committed to the demonstration of educational excellence and regularly seeks feedback from students. Students are encouraged to offer feedback directly to their Course Convener or through their College and Course representatives (if applicable). Feedback can also be provided to Course Conveners and teachers via the Student Experience of Learning & Teaching (SELT) feedback program. SELT surveys are confidential and also provide the Colleges and ANU Executive with opportunities to recognise excellent teaching, and opportunities for improvement.

Class Schedule

Week/Session	Summary of Activities	Assessment
1	Geopolitical Calculus: Conceptualising Strategic Thinking in the Indo-Pacific
2	Class 2: The history of US actions in the Indo-Pacific
3	Class 3: The History of China's Actions in the Indo-Pacific
4	Class 4: The Domestic Drivers of China/US Indo-Pacific Economic Strategy
5	Class 5: BRI and B3W. The geopolitics of inequality and infrastructure in the Indo-Pacific
6	Class 6: Batteries, Semiconductors, Supply Chains and Critical Minerals
7	Class 7: The Battle for the Biotech Bonanza
8	Class 8: AI ,digital and data
9	Class 9: Cyber competition
10	Class 10: The Ideology Battle: Misinformation, Narrative Wars and Discourse Power
11	Class 11: An authoritarian regional/global order?
12	Class 12: The Indo-Pacific’s Military Flashpoints

Assessment Summary

Assessment task	Value	Due Date	Return of assessment	Learning Outcomes
Assessment 1: Blog post – 800 words (20%)	20 %	22/08/2022	02/09/2022	1,3,4,5
Assessment 2: Outline and proposal for final research project– 1500 words (40%)	40 %	16/09/2022	30/09/2022	1,2,3,4
Assessment 3: Research essay – 2500 words (40%)	40 %	07/11/2022	01/12/2022	1,2,3,4,5

* If the Due Date and Return of Assessment date are blank, see the Assessment Tab for specific Assessment Task details

Policies

ANU has educational policies, procedures and guidelines , which are designed to ensure that staff and students are aware of the University’s academic standards, and implement them. Students are expected to have read the Academic Integrity Rule before the commencement of their course. Other key policies and guidelines include:

• Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure
• Student Assessment (Coursework) Policy and Procedure
• Special Assessment Consideration Guideline and General Information 
• Student Surveys and Evaluations
• Deferred Examinations
• Student Complaint Resolution Policy and Procedure
• Code of practice for teaching and learning

Assessment Requirements

The ANU is using Turnitin to enhance student citation and referencing techniques, and to assess assignment submissions as a component of the University's approach to managing Academic Integrity. For additional information regarding Turnitin please visit the Academic Skills website. In rare cases where online submission using Turnitin software is not technically possible; or where not using Turnitin software has been justified by the Course Convener and approved by the Associate Dean (Education) on the basis of the teaching model being employed; students shall submit assessment online via ‘Wattle’ outside of Turnitin, or failing that in hard copy, or through a combination of submission methods as approved by the Associate Dean (Education). The submission method is detailed below.

Moderation of Assessment

Marks that are allocated during Semester are to be considered provisional until formalised by the College examiners meeting at the end of each Semester. If appropriate, some moderation of marks might be applied prior to final results being released.

Assessment Task 1

Assessment 1: Blog post – 800 words (20%)

The majority of analysis of contemporary international relations is published in short opinion-style pieces, which appear in traditional newspapers or on the webpages of digital media organisations and blogs. The major challenge in writing such pieces is to set up the context of the issue and make 1-2 salient points within a tightly enforced word limit. These pieces primarily serve to offer analysis of recent events and make an analytical or policy point. Or they respond to the work of others—critiquing, qualifying or extending previous analysis and commentary.

Your task is to write an 800 word blog post that either 1) Makes a salient analytical/policy point about a recent event in the Indo-Pacific in which China and the US both a strategic stake. 2) Responds to a news or opinion piece about US-China relations in the Indo-Pacific.

You can choose a topic yourself or can respond to one of the articles that I will post on WATTLE two weeks prior to the deadline (I will post them on 30 August or earlier). For this piece you will need to keep up with current events in the region beyond what is taught in class. I expect that you will do extra research for this assessment too.

Students will be marked on 1) Whether they make a clear salient policy or analytical point within the clear word limit. 2) The clarity and quality of the writing. Is it logical, well-structed, well-written and clear? 3) Is the argument convincing? Is the point well made? Does it take into account the most pertinent issues for the topic that the student has chosen? Does it succinctly counter any downsides or weaknesses of the point they are making.   

Normally, for such an analytical piece you would not use footnotes or endnotes, but hyperlinks to relevant sources. However, for the purposes of transparency (and so we don’t have to click on everything), please do use footnotes and include the details of the source and the relevant hyperlink.

Assessment Task 2

Assessment 2: Outline and proposal for final research project– 1500 words (40%)

In this assessment, you will write a policy solutions paper for a US, Chinese or Australian (or other Indo-Pacific) policymaker on an issue of technological competition between the US and China. Once again you can choose your own technology or can select from a list which I will put on WATTLE. You can define how big or small you want the scope. For example, it can be one minor sub-technology within biotech or it can be all the critical minerals required for large scale batteries. You choose. You are writing for someone who is interested in technological competition and policy but not an expert on the technology itself. 

In this paper, you should analyse what the interest is for your target audience of competition on a certain technology, including how it may affect (negative or positively) the population of the country of your target policymaker. Finally, the student should offer policy solution for the issue. This type of paper requires you to succinctly identify a problem that needs solving for policymakers. It requires the author to then put the problem in context (how big is the problem), so that the reader has a sense of what a proportionate response would be. This should inform the policy solution offered in the paper. Policy solutions should include an assessment of any trade-offs with that course of action.

The students will be assessed on:

-       Their ability to succinctly outline and contextualise a problem for the reader

-       Their ability link the problem to the national interest of the country of the policymakers

-       Their ability to offer a convincing, proportionate and achievable policy response on their chosen issue

-       The overall clarity and logic of the paper   

Please use Footnotes for this assessment. No reference list. No bibliography. 

Assessment Task 3

Assessment 3: Research essay – 2500 words (40%)

This essay is an-depth research essay on a single issue which involves China and US in the Indo-Pacific. The essay needs explain the interest for an individual third-state in the Indo-Pacific such as Australia – you can choose the state. The essay should:

1)    Explore the history of the issue

2)    Explain why this is important to the third state

3)    Offer an assessment for future trajectories of this issue

4)    Offer guidance as to how manage the issue

The issue can be as broad or narrow as you like. It could be a high-level strategy for managing all China-US tensions or it could be a technical plan for managing an important single issue such as genomic data transfers. But they key focus is that the issue will become more challenging in the next five years. So, I am looking for forward looking analysis, underpinned by historical understanding. And with a roadmap for dealing with the challenges. This is not an easy task. But, it is how policymakers have to think, particularly in the challenging international environment they face.

Please use Footnotes for this assessment. No reference list. No bibliography. 

Academic Integrity

Academic integrity is a core part of the ANU culture as a community of scholars. The University’s students are an integral part of that community. The academic integrity principle commits all students to engage in academic work in ways that are consistent with, and actively support, academic integrity, and to uphold this commitment by behaving honestly, responsibly and ethically, and with respect and fairness, in scholarly practice.

The University expects all staff and students to be familiar with the academic integrity principle, the Academic Integrity Rule 2021, the Policy: Student Academic Integrity and Procedure: Student Academic Integrity, and to uphold high standards of academic integrity to ensure the quality and value of our qualifications.

The Academic Integrity Rule 2021 is a legal document that the University uses to promote academic integrity, and manage breaches of the academic integrity principle. The Policy and Procedure support the Rule by outlining overarching principles, responsibilities and processes. The Academic Integrity Rule 2021 commences on 1 December 2021 and applies to courses commencing on or after that date, as well as to research conduct occurring on or after that date. Prior to this, the Academic Misconduct Rule 2015 applies.

 

The University commits to assisting all students to understand how to engage in academic work in ways that are consistent with, and actively support academic integrity. All coursework students must complete the online Academic Integrity Module (Epigeum), and Higher Degree Research (HDR) students are required to complete research integrity training. The Academic Integrity website provides information about services available to assist students with their assignments, examinations and other learning activities, as well as understanding and upholding academic integrity.

Online Submission

You will be required to electronically sign a declaration as part of the submission of your assignment. Please keep a copy of the assignment for your records. Unless an exemption has been approved by the Associate Dean (Education) submission must be through Turnitin.

Hardcopy Submission

For some forms of assessment (hand written assignments, art works, laboratory notes, etc.) hard copy submission is appropriate when approved by the Associate Dean (Education). Hard copy submissions must utilise the Assignment Cover Sheet. Please keep a copy of tasks completed for your records.

Late Submission

Late submission of assessment tasks without an extension are penalised at the rate of 5% of the possible marks available per working day or part thereof. Late submission of assessment tasks is not accepted after 10 working days after the due date, or on or after the date specified in the course outline for the return of the assessment item. Late submission is not accepted for take-home examinations.

Referencing Requirements

The Academic Skills website has information to assist you with your writing and assessments. The website includes information about Academic Integrity including referencing requirements for different disciplines. There is also information on Plagiarism and different ways to use source material.

Extensions and Penalties

Extensions and late submission of assessment pieces are covered by the Student Assessment (Coursework) Policy and Procedure. Extensions may be granted for assessment pieces that are not examinations or take-home examinations. If you need an extension, you must request an extension in writing on or before the due date. If you have documented and appropriate medical evidence that demonstrates you were not able to request an extension on or before the due date, you may be able to request it after the due date.

Privacy Notice

The ANU has made a number of third party, online, databases available for students to use. Use of each online database is conditional on student end users first agreeing to the database licensor’s terms of service and/or privacy policy. Students should read these carefully. In some cases student end users will be required to register an account with the database licensor and submit personal information, including their: first name; last name; ANU email address; and other information.
In cases where student end users are asked to submit ‘content’ to a database, such as an assignment or short answers, the database licensor may only use the student’s ‘content’ in accordance with the terms of service – including any (copyright) licence the student grants to the database licensor. Any personal information or content a student submits may be stored by the licensor, potentially offshore, and will be used to process the database service in accordance with the licensors terms of service and/or privacy policy.
If any student chooses not to agree to the database licensor’s terms of service or privacy policy, the student will not be able to access and use the database. In these circumstances students should contact their lecturer to enquire about alternative arrangements that are available.

Distribution of grades policy

Academic Quality Assurance Committee monitors the performance of students, including attrition, further study and employment rates and grade distribution, and College reports on quality assurance processes for assessment activities, including alignment with national and international disciplinary and interdisciplinary standards, as well as qualification type learning outcomes.

Since first semester 1994, ANU uses a grading scale for all courses. This grading scale is used by all academic areas of the University.

Support for students

The University offers students support through several different services. You may contact the services listed below directly or seek advice from your Course Convener, Student Administrators, or your College and Course representatives (if applicable).

• ANU Health, safety & wellbeing for medical services, counselling, mental health and spiritual support
• ANU Access and inclusion for students with a disability or ongoing or chronic illness
• ANU Dean of Students for confidential, impartial advice and help to resolve problems between students and the academic or administrative areas of the University
• ANU Academic Skills and Learning Centre supports you make your own decisions about how you learn and manage your workload.
• ANU Counselling Centre promotes, supports and enhances mental health and wellbeing within the University student community.
• ANUSA supports and represents undergraduate and ANU College students
• PARSA supports and represents postgraduate and research students