The upcoming U.S.-China summit is a high-stakes event with the potential to shape the global order for decades to come. President Biden must approach the summit with a clear strategy and a commitment to prudent balancing.
Not containment, which is a policy of trying to prevent a rising power from expanding its influence. Not detente, which is a policy of reducing tensions between two hostile powers. And certainly not appeasement, which is a policy of giving in to the demands of a rising power in order to avoid conflict.
Instead, President Biden should approach his Chinese counterpart in the spirit of prudent balancing, a strategy that involves using a combination of deterrence, engagement, and cooperation to manage the relationship with a rising power.
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