Xi says U.S.-China rivalry can avoid the 'Thucydides Trap'
Thucydides Trap: Xi says the U.S. and China can avoid conflict and rival safely See how open military channels and clear limits could steady tensions and reduce risk
Chinese President Xi Jinping said the U.S. and China can overcome the socalled Thucydides Trap during his meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump in Washington this week. The remark marked a shift from his earlier framing in May, when he asked whether the two powers could avoid that outcome.
The Thucydides Trap is a term used to describe the risk that tensions between a rising power and an established power can lead to conflict. The idea was popularized by Harvard professor Graham Allison, who has written widely about U.S.China relations.
Xi said the two countries should compete without confrontation and keep military communication open to prevent crises. Analysts cited in the report said that setting this kind of boundary could help stabilize a relationship that remains strained by strategic rivalry and issues such as Taiwan.