The Use of Educational Exchange and International Education to Improve U.S.-Sino Relationship

Abstract

As political scientist Graham Allison argues in his book, Destined for War, the United States and China “are currently on a collision course for war” (Allison, 2017, p. vii). Drawing on government reports and academic global education studies, this paper evaluates whether educational exchange and global education are plausible ways to de-escalate political tensions between the United States and China. This review indicates that studying abroad and educational exchange may de-escalate political tensions on a long-term horizon because of improved cultural understanding, foreign language acquisition, and students’ potential of making an impact after gaining new perspectives. After comparing case studies of educational exchange programs, I concluded that a balanced, government-funded, long-term exchange program between high school students will be the most effective in de-escalating political tensions between the U.S. and China. High schoolers are the best candidates because they are more likely to accept new perspectives and take less time to acquire a foreign language. Cultural understanding and respect facilitate diplomatic relations, and high schoolers in exchange programs will provide that cultural understanding in the future. Many people may think that political, economic, and military compromises are the only ways to de-escalate political tensions, specifically between the U.S. and China. However, this paper proves that the impact of educational exchange should not be underestimated, and this proposed plan of using educational exchange programs to strengthen U.S.-Sino relations is an actionable step towards solutions both countries can take up now with few significant barriers to entry.