This book investigates contemporary US-China subnational relations and considers the extent to which subnational, national and international power contests inform American states’ strategies of internationalization. Approaching the subject from a constructivist perspective, the book contributes to debates about the relevance of subnational diplomacy to US politics, diplomacy and security. It evaluates the efficacy of Chinese power through influence and interference in co-opting American subnational elites, (re)framing their and the wider public’s social knowledge about China, and (re)shaping the interests, norms and practices guiding relations with China. The book also identifies the limits of Chinese power by exploring how a shift in dominant narratives produces new understandings of opportunities and risks associated with China. Featuring new empirical evidence and a novel theoretical framework, this book will be a valuable resource for students of American politics and foreign relations, paradiplomacy, federal studies, China studies and international relations.
