Xi Jinping Invokes Thucydides Trap to Argue Against US-China Conflict

Chinese President Xi Jinping has repeatedly referenced the concept of the Thucydides Trap during talks with US leaders, using it to advocate for peaceful coexistence between the two powers. The term describes the historically observed tendency for conflict to arise when a rising power threatens to displace an established one. Xi's invocation of the idea signals Beijing's stated desire to avoid a military or geopolitical confrontation with Washington. While some historical precedents suggest that power transitions need not end in war, analysts remain divided on how relevant the concept is to the current US-China rivalry.