Cold war or uneasy peace: does defining US-China competition matter?

Many are beginning to fear the world may soon be caught in the crossfire between Beijing and WashingtonIn July 1971, US national security adviser Henry Kissinger embarked on a secret mission to China, then America’s sworn enemy. This 48-hour ice-breaking trip paved the way for Richard Nixon’s historic handshake with Chairman Mao a year later. Nixon’s visit altered the strategic geometry of the cold war and influenced Washington’s subsequent movement towards détente