{{Short description|Informal grouping of the United States and China}} {{Use mdy dates|date=November 2025}} [[File:China USA Locator.png|thumb|The United States and China.]] The '''Group of Two''' ('''G-2''' or '''G2''') is a hypothetical and an informal grouping made up of the [[United States]] and the [[China|People's Republic of China]] first proposed by [[C. Fred Bergsten]].<ref>{{cite journal |last=Loungani |first=Prakash |author-link=Prakash Loungani |date=March 2012 |title=An American Globalist |url=https://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/fandd/2012/03/people.htm |journal=[[Finance & Development]] |volume=49 |issue=1 |page=5 |access-date=2025-11-12}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |last=Bergsten |first=C. Fred |author-link=C. Fred Bergsten |date=July–August 2008 |title=A Partnership of Equals: How Washington Should Respond to China's Economic Challenge |url=https://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/asia/2008-06-01/partnership-equals |url-access=subscription |magazine=[[Foreign Affairs]] |volume=87 |issue=4 |pages=57–69 |jstor=20032716 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20210216031444/https://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/asia/2008-06-01/partnership-equals |archive-date=2021-02-16 |access-date=2025-11-12}}</ref> As the concept gained more traction with members of the [[presidency of Barack Obama|Obama administration]] and foreign policy establishment who came to recognize the increasing importance of the [[China–United States relations|United States' relationship with China]], its original economic focus became more all-encompassing.<ref name="Bergsten_20090901">{{cite magazine |last=Bergsten |first=C. Fred |author-link=C. Fred Bergsten |date=September–October 2009 |title=Two's Company |url=http://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/65232/c-fred-bergsten/twos-company |magazine=[[Foreign Affairs]] |volume=88 |issue=5 |pages=169–170 |jstor=20699703 |access-date=2010-06-27}}</ref> Prominent advocates of the grouping include U.S. president [[Donald Trump]], former [[National Security Advisor (United States)|national security advisor]] [[Zbigniew Brzezinski]], historian [[Niall Ferguson]], former [[World Bank]] president [[Robert Zoellick]], and former chief economist [[Justin Yifu Lin]].
There have been increasingly strong suggestions by [[American liberal]] politicians in creating a G-2 relationship to work out solutions to global problems, and prevent [[second Cold War|another cold war]].<ref>{{cite web |last=Kampf |first=David |date=2009-05-14 |title=Viewpoints: Moving the G-2 Forward |url=http://www.fpa.org/topics_info2414/topics_info_show.htm?doc_id=912530 |publisher=[[Foreign Policy Association]] |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110927095803/http://www.fpa.org/topics_info2414/topics_info_show.htm?doc_id=912530 |archive-date=2011-09-27 |access-date=2010-06-27}}</ref> However, as [[United States foreign policy toward the People's Republic of China|strategic competition between the two powers has intensified]], many have rejected the concept.<ref>{{cite journal |last=Zhao |first=Minghao |date=Autumn 2019 |title=Is a New Cold War Inevitable? Chinese Perspectives on US–China Strategic Competition |journal=[[The Chinese Journal of International Politics]] |volume=12 |issue=3 |pages=371–394 |doi=10.1093/cjip/poz010 |doi-access=free |jstor=48615750}}</ref><ref name="Nakazawa" />
== History == The concept of a G-2 was first raised by noted economist [[C. Fred Bergsten]] in 2005.<ref name="Bergsten_20090901" /> In 2009, Bergsten made the following arguments for such a relationship: {{blockquote| * China will shortly pass Japan to become the world's second largest economy behind the United States; * the two together accounted for almost one half of all global growth during the four-year boom prior to the crisis; * they are the two largest economies; * they are the two largest trading nations; * they are the two largest polluters; * they are on opposite ends of the world's largest trade and financial imbalance: the United States is the largest deficit and debtor country while China is the largest surplus country and holder of dollar reserves; * they are the leaders of the two groups, the high-income industrialized countries and the emerging markets/developing nations, that each now account for about one half of global output.<ref>{{cite web |last=Bergsten |first=C. Fred |author-link=C. Fred Bergsten |date=2009-09-10 |title=Testimony: The United States–China Economic Relationship and the Strategic and Economic Dialogue |url=http://www.iie.com/publications/papers/paper.cfm?ResearchID=1291 |publisher=[[Peterson Institute for International Economics]] |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090912131347/http://www.iie.com/publications/papers/paper.cfm?ResearchID=1291 |archive-date=2009-09-12 |access-date=2010-06-27}}</ref>}}
[[Zbigniew Brzezinski]] had been a vocal advocate for the concept. He publicly advanced the notion in [[Beijing]] in January 2009 as the two countries celebrated the 30th anniversary of establishing formal diplomatic ties.<ref name="Jian">{{cite web |last=Jian |first=Junbo |date=2009-05-29 |title=China says 'no thanks' to G-2 |url=http://www.atimes.com/atimes/China/KE29Ad01.html |website=[[Asia Times Online]] |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090531065554/http://www.atimes.com/atimes/China/KE29Ad01.html |archive-date=2009-05-31 |access-date=2010-06-27}}</ref> He views the informal G-2 as helpful in finding solutions to the [[2008 financial crisis]], [[climate change]] (see [[Politics of climate change]]), [[North Korea and weapons of mass destruction#Nuclear weapons|North Korea's]] and [[Nuclear program of Iran|Iran's]] nuclear programs, the [[Indo-Pakistani wars and conflicts]], the [[Israeli–Palestinian conflict]], [[United Nations peacekeeping]], [[nuclear proliferation]] and [[nuclear disarmament|disarmament]]. He called the principle of "harmony" a "mission worthy of the two countries with the most extraordinary potential for shaping our collective future".<ref>{{cite news |last=Wong |first=Edward |author-link=Edward Wong |date=2009-01-02 |title=Former Carter adviser calls for a 'G-2' between U.S. and China |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/12/world/asia/12iht-beijing.3.19283773.html |newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |access-date=2025-11-12}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Brzezinski |first=Zbigniew |author-link=Zbigniew Brzezinski |date=2009-01-13 |title=The Group of Two that could change the world |url=https://www.ft.com/content/d99369b8-e178-11dd-afa0-0000779fd2ac |url-access=subscription |newspaper=[[Financial Times]] |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20220427073431/https://www.ft.com/content/d99369b8-e178-11dd-afa0-0000779fd2ac |archive-date=2022-04-27 |access-date=2010-06-27}}</ref>
Historian [[Niall Ferguson]] has also advocated the G-2 concept. He coined the term [[Chimerica]] to describe the symbiotic nature of the U.S.–China economic relationship.
[[Robert Zoellick]], former president of the [[World Bank Group]], and [[Justin Yifu Lin]], the group's former chief economist and senior vice president, have stated that the G-2 is crucial for economic recovery and that the U.S. and China must work together. They state that "without a strong G-2, the [[G20|G-20]] will disappoint".<ref>{{cite news |first1=Robert B. |last1=Zoellick |author-link1=Robert Zoellick |first2=Justin Yifu |last2=Lin |author-link2=Justin Yifu Lin |date=2009-03-06 |title=Recovery: A Job for China and the U.S. |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/03/05/AR2009030502887.html |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |access-date=2010-06-27}}</ref>
While widely discussed, the concept of a G-2 has not been fully defined. According to Brzezinski, G-2 described the current realities, while for former British Foreign Secretary [[David Miliband]], a G-2 could emerge in the foreseeable future.<ref name="Jian" /> Miliband proposes [[European integration|EU integration]] as a means to create a potential G-3 that consists of the United States, China and the [[European Union]].
Former President [[Barack Obama]] and former [[United States Secretary of State]] [[Hillary Clinton]] have been very supportive of good relations between the two countries and more cooperation on more issues more often. Former Secretary of State [[Henry Kissinger]] has stated that U.S.–China relationship should be "taken to a new level". Some experts have disagreed with the effectiveness of a G-2.<ref>{{cite magazine |last1=Economy |first1=Elizabeth C. |author-link1=Elizabeth Economy |last2=Segal |first2=Adam |author-link2=Adam Segal |date=May–June 2009 |title=The G-2 Mirage: Why the United States and China Are Not Ready to Upgrade Ties |url=http://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/64946/elizabeth-c-economy-and-adam-segal/the-g-2-mirage |url-access=subscription |magazine=[[Foreign Affairs]] |volume=88 |issue=3 |pages=14–23 |jstor=20699560 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120730122718/http://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/64946/elizabeth-c-economy-and-adam-segal/the-g-2-mirage |archive-date=2012-07-30 |access-date=2010-06-27}}</ref> However, Clinton has said that there is no G-2.<ref>{{cite news |last=Landler |first=Mark |author-link=Mark Landler |date=14 January 2011 |title=U.S. Is Not Trying to Contain China, Clinton Says |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/15/world/asia/15diplo.html |newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |access-date=15 June 2018}}</ref>
In 2023, it was reported by ''[[Nikkei Asia]]'' that [[General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party]] [[Xi Jinping]] drew on the idea of G-2 as a way to manage his country's relations with the U.S.<ref name="Nakazawa">{{cite magazine |last=Nakazawa |first=Katsuji |date=2023-06-22 |title=Analysis: After a decade, Xi floats 'G2' world with U.S. again |url=https://asia.nikkei.com/Editor-s-Picks/China-up-close/Analysis-After-a-decade-Xi-floats-G2-world-with-U.S.-again |magazine=[[Nikkei Asia]] |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20230621195255/https://asia.nikkei.com/Editor-s-Picks/China-up-close/Analysis-After-a-decade-Xi-floats-G2-world-with-U.S.-again |archive-date=2023-06-21 |access-date=2025-11-12}}</ref>
On October 30, 2025, U.S. President [[Donald Trump]] referred to a meeting between him and Xi as the G-2, posting "THE G2 WILL BE CONVENING SHORTLY!".<ref>{{cite news |last1=Jett |first1=Jennifer |last2=Guo |first2=Peter |date=2025-10-30 |title=Trump arrives in Busan for meeting with Xi |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/live-blog/live-updates-trump-xi-talks-south-korea-asia-tour-trade-third-term-rcna240430/rcrd92034 |publisher=[[NBC News]] |access-date=2025-11-12}}</ref> On November 1, 2025, Trump posted "My G2 meeting with President Xi of China was a great one for both of our countries. This meeting will lead to everlasting peace and success. God bless both China and the USA!"<ref>{{cite news |date=2025-11-02 |title=Trump-Xi deal: China to suspend some rare earth curbs, probes on chip firms, US says |url=https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3331200/trump-xi-deal-china-suspend-some-rare-earth-curbs-probes-chip-firms-us-says |newspaper=[[South China Morning Post]] |agency=[[Bloomberg News]] |access-date=2025-11-12}}</ref> On the same day, [[United States Secretary of Defense]] [[Pete Hegseth]] posted "As President Trump said, his historic 'G2 meeting' set the tone for everlasting peace and success for the U.S. and China."<ref>{{cite news |last=Jeong |first=Audry |date=2025-11-02 |title=US and China agree to open up military-to-military communication channels, Hegseth says |url=https://www.cnn.com/politics/live-news/trump-government-shutdown-election-11-01-25?post-id=cmhgua5th00053b6po539ojlk |publisher=[[CNN]] |access-date=2025-11-12}}</ref>
==Current leaders==
<gallery class="center" widths="120"> File:Xi Jinping in 2025.jpg|alt=ChinaXi Jinping, President|'''{{flag|China}}'''<br/>[[Xi Jinping]],<br/>[[General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party|CCP General Secretary]] File:Official Presidential Portrait of President Donald J. Trump (2025).jpg|alt=United StatesDonald Trump, President|'''{{flag|United States}}'''<br/>[[Donald Trump]],<br/>[[President of the United States|President]] </gallery>
== See also == {{div col}} * [[United States–China security cooperation]] * [[U.S.–China Strategic and Economic Dialogue]] * [[EU three]] * [[Group of Three]] * [[Group of Five]] * [[G7]] * [[G8]] * [[Most favoured nation]] {{div col end}}
== References == {{reflist}}
{{Foreign relations of China}} {{Foreign relations of the United States |expanded=Bilateral}} {{International power}}
[[Category:2005 neologisms]] [[Category:China–United States relations]] [[Category:Proposed international organizations]]