In the study of international relations, few concepts are as terrifying as the "Thucydides Trap"—the historical tendency for war to erupt when a rising power challenges an established ruling power. In his seminal work, The Avoidable War , Kevin Rudd, the former Prime Minister of Australia and a seasoned Sinophile, argues that the United States and China are currently caught in the jaws of this trap.
From Beijing’s point of view, the "century of humiliation" is over. China views its rise not as an aggressive expansion, but as a restoration of its historical status as a great power. They see the United States as a declining power (what Rudd calls the "America in Decline" narrative) that is desperately trying to contain China’s growth through trade wars, technological embargoes, and military encirclement. Beijing believes the U.S. is unwilling to accept a multipolar world where China holds equal status. the avoidable war pdf
If you'd like to access the PDF version, I recommend checking online academic databases, such as ResearchGate or Academia.edu, where you may be able to find a preprint or a summary of the book. In the study of international relations, few concepts
The Avoidable War: The Case for Managed Strategic Competition China views its rise not as an aggressive
is a seminal 2022 work by Kevin Rudd, former Australian Prime Minister and current Ambassador to the United States, that provides a comprehensive strategic framework for managing the escalating tensions between the U.S. and China. The book's central thesis is that while a catastrophic conflict is a very real possibility in what Rudd calls the "decade of living dangerously," it is not inevitable if both powers adopt a policy of managed strategic competition . Core Thesis: Managed Strategic Competition
Based on your request, it is highly likely you are referring to the influential book by Kevin Rudd , the former Prime Minister of Australia.
: Identifying areas of mutual interest—such as climate change, pandemic prevention, and global financial stability—where the two powers must collaborate. Xi Jinping’s "Ten Concentric Circles" of Interest