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Why 2025 Looks ‘Dangerous’ for the US-China Relationship

From Taiwan to the South China Sea to malign influence operations, a longtime U.S.-China scholar sees trouble on the horizon

Chinese President Xi Jinping during his inspection of the Chinese People's Liberation Army garrison stationed in the Macao Special Administrative Region, China, on December 20, 2024. (Photo by Li Gang/Xinhua via Getty Images)

EXPERT INTERVIEW — As the U.S. prepares for its transfer of power, there is one global security issue on which the Biden and Trump Administrations would agree: China represents the most profound long-term threat to U.S. national security. That’s an opinion shared by officials in the intelligence community, the diplomatic corps, and the national security teams for both leaders — though they may differ markedly when it comes to what to do about the threat.

The issue is complicated by the range of threats: from the Taiwan Strait and South China Sea, to China-linked cyberattacks, to China’s support for Russia, Iran and North Korea in the so-called “Axis of Authoritarians.” Meanwhile, scholars of the U.S.-China relationship say it has reached a historical low point, more than four decades after Washington established diplomatic relations with the People’s Republic of China (PRC).

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