Introduction

Relations between the United States and China, the world’s two largest economies, are arguably worse than they’ve been at any time in almost 50 years. Following decades of engagement, the Sino-American relationship is now characterized by competition — a race to become the dominant power in Asia — that some observers fear could spiral into a catastrophic conflict.

In his new book The Avoidable War, Asia Society President Kevin Rudd argues that war between the two great powers is not inevitable — but the two sides must establish a set of guardrails for managing their competition. In this episode of Asia In-Depth, we’ll hear a conversation between Rudd and Ian Bremmer, the president and founder of the Eurasia Group and GZERO Media, about the current state of the U.S.-China relationship and what Russia’s recent invasion of Ukraine means for Beijing.