Chinese President Xi Jinping invokes the “Thucydides Trap” in discussions with U.S. President Donald Trump, according to multiple outlets. Several reports say Xi directly raised the question of whether China and the United States can avoid conflict that, in the academic framework, can emerge when a rising power challenges an established one. The term is linked to the Greek historian Thucydides and is often associated with political scientist Graham Allison, who popularized the concept in analyses of U.S.-China tensions.
Coverage across outlets describes the phrase as a warning about structural pressures that may increase the risk of war if both sides follow a confrontational trajectory. One report cites Allison, saying Xi appears to view the concept as a “best diagnosis” of the challenge facing both leaders. Other accounts note that Xi had used the idea in previous references to U.S.-China relations, dating back to around 2014, and that its use in summit-level diplomacy signals how Xi frames the stakes of the relationship.
While outlets differ in emphasis, they agree that Xi’s use of the “Thucydides Trap” centers on preventing escalation between the two countries.
