Trading with the Enemy

A fascinating sub-story of US-China relations. Despite all of the changes in the relationship, one constant over six-plus decades has been Washington's effort to restrict military-related technology transfers to China through its unilateral and multilateral export control regimes. Hugo Meijer's Trading with the Enemy offers a fine-grained historical accounting of this effort, which is of use to scholars and policymakers alike. * David Shambaugh, George Washington University, and The Brookings Institution *
Based on new and unique primary source information, Hugo Meijer's Trading with the Enemy tells the important and heretofore untold story of US policy toward China on the export of arms and military-related technology from the Korean War to the present. This excellent and eminently readable work significantly contributes to our understanding of the shifting security and economic dynamics at play between the United States and China at a time when these dynamics are critical to global stability and prosperity. * Evan S. Medeiros, former U.S. National Security Council Senior Director for Asian Affairs *
As geo-strategic and military competition grows between the United States and China, the greatest rivalry will take place in the strategic and dual-use high technology domain. Even as they contest for influence and dominance in the South China Sea and cyberspace, the overall race for global leadership will ultimately be decided in terms of technological innovation, industrial capacity, and economic sustainability. Hugo Meijer does a great service in shedding considerable light and providing analytical clarity in addressing this hugely complex issue. This is essential reading for anyone looking to understand the dynamics and long-term prospects for US-China strategic competition. * Tai Ming Cheung, University of California San Diego *
An ambitious and comprehensive study of US export control policy toward the People's Republic of China Meijer's book is an impressive piece of scholarship that is both accessible and highly engaging Meijer does an outstanding job of leveraging the information and insights gained from his many high-level interviews in building his argument. His nuanced empirical analysis draws from declassified documents, government reports and public statements by various US officials, and - most importantly - nearly 200 interviews. The book will be of great interest to experts in the academic and policy communities who focus on US-China relations * China Quarterly *
During the Cold War, the United States made the sensible decision to restrict the export of advanced military technologies to its chief strategic rival, the Soviet Union. In contrast, U.S. high-tech firms now need access to large and growing markets in China in order to fund the research and development that keeps them at the cutting edge. Meijer charts an admirably clear path through the complexities of his subject to show how U.S. export control policy evolved over 30 years. * Foreign Affairs *