Summers Foreign Policy

Putin’s war of choice is starting to decimate the Russian military. The Ukrainian resistance has proved far more resilient than Putin and the Russian military anticipated. There is even the possibility of a full Ukrainian military victory over the Russian military in Ukraine. This only increases the fear that Putin may resort to using chemical or nuclear weapons against the Ukrainians.

Russian troop fatalities in Ukraine nearing losses over 10 years in Afghanistan Despite sending over 150,000 troops into Ukraine, Russia has made limited progress with its ground forces in recent weeks.

Are China and the United States engaged in a new Cold War?
The short answer is yes. The long answer is much more complicated than that.

Since the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991, the United States has enjoyed its tenure as the sole superpower in the entire world. It was inevitable that the rise of China(or any other major competitor) would be seen as a threat to U.S power and global influence.
Through China’s exponential economic growth, rise in global influence, and speed of its military modernization in this decade, China seeks a greater seat at the table of world affairs.

While the potential of this Cold War turning hot
is far more likely than the original Cold War, it is not inevitable. Though there are many areas where the U.S and China differ greatly, there are also many areas where cooperation can prosper. Issues like Climate Change, international trade, and creating a military dialogue in the Indo-Pacific region are good areas to start. The U.S and China must learn to create a relationship of cooperative competition, much like what the U.S and Soviets had in the 1980s.

The U.S and China are entering a pivotal moment in their countries legacies. The decisions of U.S President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping could very well set the rules of this new Cold War for the next few decades.

Are China and the United States engaged in a new cold war? In the November/December issue of Foreign Affairs, four essays consider how the history of the U.S.-Soviet Cold War should inform our understanding of the competition unfolding today.

Explore the issue: https://on.cfr.org/3DYxHJD