Final Paper

PLEASE READ ALL INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY AND USE SOURCES AND ATTACHMENTS TO ANSWER ALL PARTS OF THE QUESTION

Your task for this final assignment is to write a briefing paper that addresses the future of US-China relations in the context of the current international system (COVID-19 and all). Specifically, you are expected to provide guidance to President Xi Jinping of China on the question of should China continue to pursue cooperative political and economic relations with the US? OR to President Donald Trump of the US on the question of should the US continue to pursue cooperative political and economic relations with China?

In your briefing paper, you must provide the president with a recommendation that is based upon the principles of International Relations and rooted in historical evidence. To this end,

you must identify which theory or theories of International Relations your recommendation is based on and explain how this theory (or theories) has informed your argument.
Furthermore, you must cite supporting evidence from at least 2 of the cases we have examined in this course and explain how the evidence from these cases has informed your recommendation.
2 CASE STUDIES ARE ATTACHED, 2 OTHER SOURCES CAN BE USED

Your briefing paper should be structured around the following elements:

Issue: a short (1-2 sentences) statement of the issue or question(s) your briefing paper will address. This is where you are telling the President why this paper matters.
Current status: a short outline of the current situation – including who is involved, what is happening now, and what has happened in recent history (the last 6-12 months) to shape the situation.
Options: a statement of the various (usually 2 or 3) options available to the President and a brief summary of the anticipated impacts of each option.
Recommendation & evidence: a statement of the course of action that you are recommending the President take and a detailed analysis of the evidence – both theoretical and historical (from the cases) – supporting your recommendation. This is where you are putting forth your argument to the President and explaining to him – using evidence drawn from a theory or theories of International Relations and from at least 2 cases – the reasoning behind your argument. You should also feel free to use other sources – including the framework readings or articles from reputable media outlets (such as Foreign Policy Magazine, Foreign Affairs, the Financial Times, the New York Times, etc.) – to provide additional support for your argument.
Conclusion & restatement of recommendation: a summary of the main points of your briefing paper and a restatement of your recommendation.