Chinese leader Xi Jinping has raised the historical concept of “Thucydides Trap” during his meeting with United States President Donald Trump in Beijing, questioning whether the two superpowers can avoid a path toward inevitable war.
In opening remarks on Thursday, President Xi referred to the Peloponnesian War in ancient Greece, a conflict that erupted between Athens and Sparta in 431BC. Addressing the nature of hegemonic rivalry, Xi asked “Can China and the United States transcend the so-called ‘Thucydides Trap’ and forge a new paradigm for major-power relations?”.
The “Thucydides Trap” is a term frequently used in foreign policy circles to describe the idea that when a rising power threatens to displace an established one, the result is often armed conflict. The concept is based on the writings of the Greek historian Thucydides, who observed that the rise of Athens and the fear it instilled in Sparta made war inevitable.
Observers noted that while Xi has used the term for years, his decision to deploy the classical reference during President Trump’s visit may serve as a foreshadowing of his stance on Taiwan. The Chinese leader later warned Trump that any “mishandled” steps regarding the self-governing island – which China claims as its own – could push the two nations into a “highly perilous situation”.
“The Taiwan question is the most important issue in China-US relations,” Xi stated, adding that failures in management could lead the nations to “collide or even come into conflict”.
However, the tone shifted during a state banquet held in the evening. President Xi struck a more conciliatory note, suggesting that the “great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation” and “making America great again” could coexist to “advance the wellbeing of the whole world”.
Responding to the remarks on social media early Friday, President Trump suggested that Xi had “very elegantly referred to the United States as perhaps being a declining nation”. Trump clarified that he did not view this as a reflection of the country under his current administration.
“Two years ago, we were, in fact, a Nation in decline,” Trump posted. “Now, the United States is the hottest Nation anywhere in the world, and hopefully our relationship with China will be stronger and better than ever before!”.
The summit comes amid a backdrop of global “flashpoints,” including tensions in Taiwan and conflict in the Middle East, which were widely expected to dominate the discussions between the two leaders.
