The fifth annual session of the US-China Strategic Dialogue was held in Honolulu, HI from May 2 through 4, 2010. The Dialogue is a track 1.5 conference; thus, it is formally unofficial, but includes a mix of government and academic participants. The Dialogue is organized by the Naval Postgraduate School and Pacific Forum-CSIS and is funded and guided by the Advanced Systems and Concepts Office of the US Defense Threat Reduction Agency.

Weapons and weapon systems/Weapons of mass destruction; Politics and government/International relations; Military

Abstract: This report briefly summarizes the format and background of a series of dialogues between the United States and China on nuclear issues before turning to a more focused discussion of the current year's session. It begins addressing general discussions on contemporary policy and prospects for arms control and confidence and security building measures (CSBMs).

The 2006 US Defense Review advanced two new strategic vectors for America's armed forces – one targets a putative “global Islamic insurgency," the other puts America on a collision course with China. Both vectors are overwrought and likely to feed the threats they forecast. Moreover, the 2006 defense plan leaves little reason to believe that it sufficiently supports the goals it sets out. (An abbreviated version of this article appeared in the July 2006 issue of the World Policy Journal under the title "Dissuading China and Fighting the ‘Long War’."

The third annual session of the US-China Strategic Dialogue was held in Honolulu, HI from November 4 through 6, 2007. The Dialogue is a track 1.5 conference; thus, it is formally unofficial, but includes a mix of government and academic participants. The Dialogue is organized by the Naval Postgraduate School and Pacific Forum-CSIS and is funded and guided by the Advanced Systems and Concepts Office of the US Defense Threat Reduction Agency.