Are we on the brink of a cold – or hot — war between the US and China?

If the Sino-American relationship was a card game, one could say America and its longstanding allies have been dealt a good hand, especially in light of China’s growing economic, demographic, and political challenges. But even a good hand can lose if it is badly played.

US president Joe Biden meets virtually with Chinese president Xi Jinping from the White House in November 2021. They met in Bali last November to establish 'guardrails' for the Sino-American strategic competition. Picture: AP /Susan Walsh

When US president Joe Biden and his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping met in Bali last November, they agreed to hold high-level meetings to establish “guardrails” for the Sino-American strategic competition. 

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken was scheduled to visit Beijing to inaugurate that effort last month. But when China sent a surveillance balloon (visible to the naked eye) over American territory, Blinken’s visit was shot down even faster than the balloon.