What is the "Thucydides Trap"? Why was it mentioned during the meeting between the Chinese and US presidents?

When a rising power begins to catch up with an established one, both sides can start misreading each other. The established power feels increasingly anxious. The rising power, on the other hand, becomes more confident, but also more sensitive to pressure and perceived threats. Over time, this mutual fear can spiral into conflict.

The term was popularized in the 2010s, when US political scientist Graham Allison used this theory to describe China-US relations.

Can China and the US transcend this "trap"?

In an interview, Allison drew lessons from Chinese history and told us that China and the US can be partners in understanding that they can't have a war.

Building a constructive China-US relationship of strategic stability could be a path to avoiding the "trap".