US Energy Strategy Against China: A Long Game of Positional Power
The Trump administration's apparent detente with Beijing masks a strategic effort to reshape global energy flows and undermine Chinese competitiveness. Drawing on Sun Tzu's principle of subduing the enemy without fighting, the US aims for positional power—control over semiconductors, rare earths, energy, and maritime chokepoints. Recent military interventions and the 2025 National Security Strategy reflect a logic of hemispheric consolidation and resource security, targeting China's vulnerabilities indirectly.
Key facts
- The US strategy under President Donald Trump involves quiet reshaping of the global economy.
- Positional power focuses on computational power (semiconductors), resource power (rare earths, energy), and connectivity power (shipping chokepoints).
- The 2025 National Security Strategy emphasizes hemispheric consolidation and resource security.
- Recent US military interventions are interpreted as part of broader geopolitical repositioning against China.
- Sun Tzu's maxim 'subduing the enemy without fighting' is cited as a lens for US grand strategy.
Entities
Institutions
- Trump administration
- Beijing
Locations
- United States
- China