A tango by two superpowers: China-US cooperation in trilateral aid and implications for their bilateral relations 

Denghua Zhang

ABSTRACT

The US-China relationship continues to be characterized by both competition and cooperation in recent years. Cooperation in the development sector is one little-known new aspect of such cooperation. This paper therefore examines why and how the two superpowers have undertaken cooperation in trilateral aid projects, and implications for bilateral relations. By tracing China-US policy engagement on development cooperation and examining their most recent trilateral aid project in the Asia-Pacific region, the paper argues that the US aims to use trilateral aid cooperation to engage with China and shape it into a responsible stakeholder, while China uses trilateral cooperation to build a cooperative image and facilitate the broad China-US relationship.  

KEYWORDS: Chinese foreign aid, China-US relations, trilateral aid cooperation, Timor-Leste, development engagement

超级大国的双人探戈：中美在三边援助中的合作及对双边关系的影响

摘要

近年来，美中关系继续以竞争与合作为特征。发展部门中的合作是两国合作中一个鲜为人知的方面。因此，本文考察了两个超级大国在三边援助项目中开展合作的原因和方式，以及对双边关系的影响。通过追踪中美在发展合作方面的政策参与并审视其最近的亚太地区三边援助项目，本文认为，美国的目标是利用三边援助合作与中国接触并将其塑造成一个负责任的利益相关者,同时 中国利用三方合作建立合作形象，广泛推动中美关系。

关键词：中国海外援助，中美关系，三方援助合作，东帝汶，发展参与