During a high-stakes meeting in Beijing, Chinese leader Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump were expected to discuss pressing global flashpoints, including a conflict in the Middle East and tensions in Taiwan. However, Xi introduced an ancient conflict into their discourse: the Peloponnesian War, a decades-long struggle between Athens and Sparta that began in 431 BC.

In his opening remarks, Xi posed a significant question: “Can China and the United States transcend the so-called ‘Thucydides Trap’ and forge a new paradigm for major-power relations?” The Thucydides Trap, a frequently cited concept in foreign policy commentary, posits that war often becomes inevitable when a rising power threatens to displace an established one. This idea is rooted in Thucydides’ observation in 'The History of the Peloponnesian War' that “It was the rise of Athens and the fear that this instilled in Sparta that made war inevitable.” By invoking this trap, Xi implicitly suggested that China’s ascendancy could provoke anxiety and potential conflict with the United States, mirroring the historical rivalry between Athens and Sparta.

Observers noted that Xi has used the term for years, but its deployment during Trump’s visit was seen by some as a potential foreshadowing of China’s stance on Taiwan. Indeed, the Chinese leader later issued a stark warning to Trump, stating that any missteps regarding Taiwan could escalate into conflict between their two nations. Xi emphasized that “The Taiwan question is the most important issue in China-US relations,” and cautioned that mishandling it could lead to the two nations colliding or even engaging in conflict, pushing the entire bilateral relationship into a “highly perilous situation.”

Despite these warnings, Xi adopted a more conciliatory tone at a state banquet later that evening, expressing optimism that the US and China could manage inherent frictions. He stated, “Achieving the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation and making America great again can totally go hand in hand… and advance the wellbeing of the whole world.”

Responding on social media, Trump commented that Xi had “very elegantly referred to the United States as perhaps being a declining nation.” However, Trump quickly clarified that this assessment did not apply to the US under his leadership. He asserted, “Two years ago, we were, in fact, a Nation in decline. 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!”