There may be no denying China's growing economic strength but its impact on the global balance of power remains hotly contested. In this examination of the escalating Sino-American struggle for geopolitical predominance, Aaron L. Friedberg argues that America's leaders are failing to act fast enough to counter China's growing strength. He explains how the US and China define their goals and reveals the strategies each is now employing to achieve its ends. Friedberg demonstrates that the ultimate aim of Chinese policymakers is to ''win without fighting'', displacing the US as the leading power in Asia while avoiding direct confrontation. The US, on the other hand, sends misleading signals about its commitments and resolve, putting itself at risk for a war that might be avoidable. A much-needed wake-up call to American leaders and policymakers, A Contest for Supremacy is a compelling interpretation of a rivalry that will determine the shape of the twenty-first century.