Graham Allison, the Douglas Dillon Professor of Government at Harvard University, said China's rapid rise and the United States' position as the established ruling power create a structural risk of confrontation – a dynamic he famously described as the "Thucydides Trap."

Speaking in an interview, Allison said both Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump recognize the dangers of strategic rivalry spiraling into conflict and are seeking a new vision for major-country relations.