Mutual trust through shared values as the foundation for improved U.S.-Sino relations and cooperation

This thesis examines the relationship between the United States of America and the People's Republic of China to understand why mistrust exist between the two and how U.S. foreign policy makers can use soft power to gain the trust of current and future Chinese leaders so that cooperation on common security and economic interests in East Asia, and not defection, defines the U.S.-Sino relationship. Resolving North Korean aggression is one example of a common security and economic interest that requires cooperation through trust between the U.S. and China that, if achieved, could help lay the foundation for cooperation on a range of bilateral and transnational issues.;Using secondary sources to support the research, chapter 1 discusses the relationship between the U.S. and China, and details the threat North Korea poses to each country. Chapter 1 concludes by providing the definition for trust in international relations and reviewing collaboration theories to categorize the nature of the U.S.-Sino relationship, which will underscore the need for trust. Chapters 2 and 3 analyze the domestic interests, values and other contributing factors to American and Chinese foreign policy making, respectively. This will show that while their domestic policy interests are similar, the foreign policies enacted by each country to actualize their domestic policy goals contribute to uncertainties about the intentions of the other.;Chapter 4 looks at how the U.S. can use soft power as an effective tool for communication and creating the space necessary to build trust among current and future Chinese leaders. Finally, chapter 5 summarizes the findings and makes recommendations for U.S. foreign policy makers on improving U.S.-Sino relations.