Bush became increasingly concerned about China's growing economic and political influence in the world, often labelled as ‘China’s rise’, and its implications for US primacy and interests. President Bush believed that China's rise was an inevitable phenomenon that the United States had to manage. He strived to build a “constructive, candid, and cooperative” relationship with China. This, in Bush's viewpoint, would form a sturdy basis for the US to advance engagement with China. In fact, Bush's determination to increase cooperation with China led to “the best relations since 1972.