By invoking the ancient Greek concept of the ‘Thucydides Trap,’ Chinese President Xi Jinping sought to frame the US-China rivalry not as a temporary dispute but as a structural contest embedded in the logic of history itself

The ancient Greek historian Thucydides observed that the Peloponnesian War became inevitable because of the rise of the power of ancient Athens and the fear it generated in Sparta, which was the dominant power at that time. The historical construct of the “Thucydides Trap” was popularised by Harvard professor Graham Allison, who warned that when a rising power threatens to displace an established superpower, structural friction frequently culminates in war.

Occurring against a backdrop of global economic turbulence, Middle Eastern instability involving Iran, and an unrelenting tech war, the recently concluded US-China summit was heavily scrutinised for its symbolic and structural implications.

In Beijing, this ancient Greek thesis was intentionally revived, serving as the canvas upon which China painted a complex, multi-layered strategic narrative. During the opening sessions at the Great Hall of the People, President Xi explicitly invoked Allison’s coinage, asking President Trump whether their respective nations could “overcome the Thucydides Trap and establish a new paradigm for relations between great powers.” Far from a casual academic reference, this query encapsulated China’s multi-pronged messaging strategy directed at both the White House and the global community.

The narrative posits that friction is an inevitable law of history, thereby demanding mutual accommodation. Xi’s framing subtly pressured the United States to treat China as a geopolitical equal, arguing that “Planet Earth is vast enough to accommodate the respective development and common prosperity” of both powers. Beneath the diplomatic vocabulary lay a stark, conditional warning. Chinese state media and Foreign Ministry spokespersons quickly tethered the........

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