Key takeaways
Professor Mearsheimer took the lead in clarifying the core of the “offensive realism” theory: in an international system without supreme authority, a country cannot predict the intentions of other countries.
In order to survive, it must maximize its power and become a regional hegemon.
“There is a fierce security competition between China and the United States, and there is no sign of disappearing. Future competition will focus on cutting-edge technology.”
Mearsheimer suggested that China should seriously consider seeking dominance in Asia, though he expressed hope that the China-U.S. rivalry could avoid escalating into a hot war.
Professor Yan Xuetong mentioned that the new trend of the global order is
anti-globalization, because populist leaders represented by Donald Trump blame globalization for potential domestic socioeconomic problems.
“The competition between China and the United States is not about who can survive, but about who can shape the global order more effectively.” Yan Xuetong said.
