Not Just Another Cold War: The Global Implications of the US-China Rivalry

Not Just Another Cold War considers how the emerging superpower rivalry between the US and China compares to the Cold War, and what that means for the future of global politics. By contrasting the current US-China rivalry with a well-understood conflict, the authors provide insights into the characteristics and trajectory of the twenty-first century's defining conflict.

With contributions from some of the world's most influential international relations scholars--Stephen Walt, M. Taylor Fravel, Odd Arne Westad, Robert Ross, and Thomas J. Christensen, among others--the volume examines many of the most important facets of the US-China relationship: the economic and military balance, the impact of technology, geopolitical consequences, relations between China and Russia, the future of NATO, and the risk of war over Taiwan. Through their analysis, the authors highlight key similarities between the current rivalry and the Cold War conflict, but also vitally important differences.

The US-China relationship--the defining superpower rivalry of the twenty-first century--is likely to prove at least as dangerous and consequential as the contest that shaped the second half of the twentieth century. But to understand and strategize around the current political face-off, it is essential to recognize that this is not just another Cold War.

Bård Nikolas Vik Steen is a geopolitical analyst and security policy advisor. He was a member of the secretariat to the Norwegian Defence Commission of 2021, which delivered the most comprehensive review of the Norwegian Armed Forces since the Cold War. Steen previously served as the Programme Manager of the Norwegian Nobel Institute. His last book, Nuclear Disarmament: A Critical Assessment was published by Routledge in 2019. All opinions expressed in this book are his own and do not necessarily reflect those of the Norwegian Ministry of Defence or any other agency of the Norwegian Government.