Not Reinventing the Wheel:
Strengthening the Liberal International Order

 The United States, as we have discussed in class is the hegemonic world power.  The single pole that has the most influence on economic policy, global security, and technology innovation.  Since the end of the first world war, the US have been the driving force for the implementation of the liberal order.  When the “paper tiger” dissolved in the late 1980’s it seemed clear to the world that communism had failed, and liberalism had won the day.  At this time the United States’ influence grew greatly.  Simultaneously, it was during this time that China’s manufacturing potential started to come into focus.  With the help of multinational corporations many from the US, China perfected the art of the global supply chain.  Thus began China’s rise toward global (super?) power status.  Presently, as China tests it's new found strength in the international arena we are all wondering what China's aim is, and what relationship the US should have with China.  I believe the United States must not back away from its role as self-proclaimed leader of the liberal world.  Quite the opposite, the US must reiterate it's commitment to this order by deepening its multilateral relations with the old institutions it helped to create and play a role in the new institutions that new powers are creating.  The US should respond to China's multilateral initiatives by matching China's commitments pound for pound.  I will explain my reasoning with three aspects of the reading I feel illustrate China’s and the US’s potential relationship, as well as the usefulness of the multilateral system.
 First I turn to regime theory, that Abbott and Snidal argue is under-represented in current arguments.  They state that current thinking, in fact, makes "...no provision for the active and independent IO functions and the corresponding institutional forms- [that IO's play](Abbott, Snidal, 2005)."  International organizations, they argue affect the behavior of states in many ways, from pooling to norm elaboration and coordination (Ibid, p.8).  With this in mind, we can assume the greater involvement states have within multilateral organizations, the greater influence those organizations will have on the states involved with them.  The old adage of; “you get out what you put in” applies here.  The US should be eager to contribute to ASEAN, AIIB, and others because it has the opportunity to affect policy from within, thereby affecting Chinese policy.  Not only affecting Chinese policy, by playing a more active role in Asian IO's, the US has the opportunity to affect the policy of China's neighbors.  The US can influence community representation and enforcement policies that China must work with and react to (Ibid, p.25).  The importance and influence of participating in IO’s cannot be overstated, as this participation can work for the benefit of individual states and the collective benefit of all members thereby strengthening collective security.
Next, I turn to Li's assessment in "Rising from Within: China's Search for a Multilateral World."  Li argues that China's extensive involvement with IO's like the BRICS is a clear sign that China is not interested in overhauling the established world order (Li, 2005).  Li claims China is looking for a “North-South co-convergence” (Ibid, 2005).  This is significant for two reasons.  This is an opportunity for the US to reiterate it’s support of the liberal world order in IO’s; and a sign that China is not ready to take on the responsibility of "world power" status (Ibid, 2005).  If China is looking to integrate themselves more fully into the already established order, the US should take this as a gift, as many rules of the game have already been written, many written by the US!  As China’s bargaining position grows stronger, the sooner the US brings China to the bargaining table the better.
The US must strengthen its multilateral ties both with China and with China's neighbors.  Using the collective influence of IO’s the US can successfully and peacefully work with China as China seeks to become but one pole in a multipolar world.  If the US does not deepen its multilateral ties it will only weaken the system China is trying to enter, thereby destabilizing the liberal order The US claims to cherish so deeply.
References
Abbott, K. W., & Snidal, D. (2005). Why states act through formal international organizations. International institutions in the new global economy. 2005, pp. 223-52 (pp. 223-252)
Li, M. (2011). Rising from within: China's search for a multilateral world and its implications for sino-US relations. Global Governance, 17(3), 331. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/889143859