The Influence System Of American Think Tanks' Research Upon US Trade Policy Towards China(1990-2016)

After the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the United States in 1979,Sino-US economic and trade relations are usually regarded as"ballast stone"and"thruster"of Sino-US relations.However,Sino-US economic and trade relations are not always calm and sometimes even become an important source of tension in Sino-US relations.During the Clinton administration,the most-favored-nation-treatment to China was the focus of Sino-US relations.In 21^stt Century,the United States trade deficit with China became a new focus in Sino-US relations.It has triggered a lasting struggle between China and the United States in anti-dumping,countervailing,intellectual property protection and the exchange rate of RMB.During the Obama administration,the United States was hostile to China's"the Belt and Road"initiative and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank led by China.Facing the pessimistic outlook of Sino-US trade relations,what can Chinese government and enterprises do to improve Sino-US trade relations is an urgent problem to solve.American think tanks have been an important factor affecting the US foreign policy for a long time.It is still a problem demanding prompt and deep study that how American think tanks affect American trade policy to China,let alone its strong theoretical value and practical significance.The main actors in Sino-US trade relations include not only the enterprises of the two countries,but also the governments,Congress?The National People's Congress?,interest groups,think tanks and the media.American think tanks influence American trade policy towards China by impressing the perception of the US government,congress,the US media and the American public on China.Due to the ideological and political differences between China and the United States,Sino-US trade relations have a brand of political flavor naturally.This article considers that American think tanks'evaluation of Sino-US trade relations as an independent variable,the evaluation of the strategic situation of China and the United States?including evaluation of their comprehensive national strength and US strategic demand to China?as the mediating variable,their trade policy proposals put forward as dependent variable.Stepping into 21^st Century,with the narrowing of the comprehensive national strength gap between China and the United States,The United Stateshas changed from"hegemony confidence"to"hegemonic anxiety",which is instantiated on think tank scholars'study upon Sino-US trade relations and United States'policy directions influenced by them.This article will adopt neoclassical realist theory to analyze the internal logic of how American think tanks affect Sino-US trade relations,study the factors that restrict the tendency and influence of American think tanks'research about China,test the hypothesis with case analysis,and put forward some suggestions to improve Sino-US trade relations.