America and China at the Edge of Ruin: A Last Chance to Step Back From the Brink

David M. Lampton and Wang Jisi co-authored an article published in the March/April 2026 issue of Foreign Affairs in which they argue that the character of the U.S.-China bilateral relationship has changed profoundly. In the early 2010s the two countries moved from cautious engagement with each other to tense rivalry. Each sees the other as the primary threat to its core values, political legitimacy, and vital national interests. It is possible, however, to stabilize and normalize the bilateral relationship by making room for each other in the international system and regional security architectures.

In an interview conducted on February 23, 2026, article co-author David M. Lampton joins Steve Orlins to discuss steps that the United States and China could take to pull back from the current dangerously negative trajectory

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