Taiwan Official: US-China Rivalry Hinges on Systemic and Ideological Superiority

During his recent bilateral meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump, Chinese President Xi Jinping once again brought up the historically renowned "Thucydides' trap," sparking high international concern and heated discussions regarding the trajectory of U.S.-China relations. In response, senior Taiwanese foreign affairs officials, after an in-depth analysis of this epoch-making matchup, pointed out that the strategic competition between the U.S. and China has never been a simple contest for hegemony or a struggle between great powers. Its essence is more profoundly reflected in the victory or defeat of "systems and values." The profound significance of this systemic contest is demonstrated not only through overt economic, trade, and geopolitical offenses and defenses, but also in the fundamental divergences between the two sides regarding universal values such as freedom, democracy, and the rule of law.

Reviewing the historical context, the "Thucydides' trap" is an international politics concept proposed by Harvard University professor Graham Allison, implying that when a rising power begins to challenge an established hegemon, both sides easily fall into the tragic fate of war. For a long time, Beijing's leadership has frequently used this concept to convey its strategic anxiety to the international community, attempting to frame U.S.-China friction as a structural conflict between a status quo power and a rising power, thereby demanding that the U.S. respect China's core interests and its so-called great power rise. However, senior Taiwanese foreign affairs officials, through precise observation of the logic behind U.S.-China interactions, believe that this narrative deliberately downplays the substantive crises triggered by China's internal political system and external expansionist behavior.

In fact, to highlight that the essence of this competition is not a traditional division of spheres of influence, the U.S. side put considerable thought into its diplomatic arrangements. Officials specifically noted that when arranging the relevant summit meetings and itineraries, U.S. President Donald Trump deliberately planned a tour for Xi Jinping to view America's three founding documents: the Declaration of Independence, the original Constitution, and the Bill of Rights. This seemingly routine yet highly symbolic visit carried profound political intent and historical symbolism behind the scenes. Through the core spirit embodied in these historical documents, the U.S. intended to clearly declare to China's leadership and the entire world that what the United States represents is not merely economic and military hard power, but universal values rooted in freedom, democracy, the spirit of the rule of law, and the protection of basic human rights.

From a deeper strategic perspective, this contrast in values and systems is precisely the core battlefield of the current U.S.-China contest. Taiwan's senior foreign affairs officials analyzed that China's recent practices of tightening internal ideological control and promoting authoritarian expansion externally have posed a severe challenge to the rules-based international order. Friction between democratic nations and authoritarian regimes has long transcended traditional geopolitical wrestling, evolving into a civilizational dialogue concerning the future governance model of humanity. While Beijing attempts to use the "Thucydides' trap" to legitimize its conflict with the United States, the U.S. side repeatedly emphasizes the resilience and legitimacy of the democratic and free system through historical opportunities and institutional displays—this is precisely the fundamental key upon which the two sides cannot compromise ideologically.

For Taiwan, which stands on the frontlines of geopolitics, this deep contest between the U.S. and China centered on systems and values holds crucial exemplary and defensive significance. As a key partner in defending democratic and free values, Taiwan not only plays a pivotal role in the democratic defense line of the Indo-Pacific region, but also proves through practical actions that Chinese-speaking societies are entirely capable of practicing a high degree of democracy and the rule of law. The long-term game between the two major powers at the institutional level is unlikely to see an end in the short term, but the new international normal it shapes will continue to affect the unity and future direction of the global democratic camp. Amid such a complex and shifting international landscape, Taiwan must continue to deepen cooperation with like-minded countries to ensure that its own security and democratic lifestyle are not eroded by external authoritarian forces.