The Thucydides Trap: A Framework for Understanding US China Rivalry The recent exchange between Chinese President Xi Jinping and his American counterpart, Joe Biden, has reignited concerns about escalating tensions between the two nations.
In a thinly veiled reference to the concept of the Thucydides trap, Xi warned that China's rising power would inevitably clash with that of the United States.
This term, coined by historian Graham Allison, refers to a situation where two rising powers engage in conflict due to their rivalry for power and influence.