US-China rivalry demands systemic restraint, not zero-sum competition
Original framing: “Trump-Xi summit: 3 ways the US and China can compete without going to war” — The Conversation - Global
Historically, great power rivalries have often led to war unless tempered by institutional mechanisms. The Cold War offers a precedent where mutual deterrence and dialogue prevented direct conflict, suggesting that structured engagement and mutual restraint can be effective.
The US-China rivalry is not a simple contest but a complex entanglement of systemic forces, historical legacies, and global interdependence.
By integrating Indigenous and non-Western knowledge, expanding multilateral dialogue, and rethinking governance through a lens of mutual stewardship, both nations can move beyond the zero-sum paradigm. Historical precedents like the Cold War demonstrate that structured cooperation is possible, but only when power is shared and marginalized voices are included. The future of global stability depends not on choosing a winner, but on building a system that supports collective flourishing.