Great power conflict; the US role in abetting China’s rise; realism as both prescription and description; prospects for the future US-China relationship; the drivers of China’s nuclear expansion; a listener asks about US diplomatic engagement in the China-Taiwan dispute; and Marcus (again) thinks the answer is more diplomacy.

Further reading:

John J. Mearsheimer. 2021. “The Inevitable Rivalry: America, China, and the Tragedy of Great-Power Politics.” Foreign Affairs.

Matthew Kroenig. 2018. The Logic of American Nuclear Strategy: Why Strategic Superiority Matters. Oxford University Press.

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