US-China relations: Thucydides Trap narrative challenged as conflict deemed avoidable

An opinion piece in SCMP argues that the Thucydides Trap—the idea that a rising China and established US are destined for war—is a flawed framework, suggesting conflict is not inevitable. This challenges a dominant narrative in foreign policy circles, though it represents analysis rather than a concrete policy shift. The piece matters because it could influence elite discourse on US-China relations, but its impact is limited as it is an opinion, not a state action.