US and China Aren’t Carving Spheres of Influence in 2025

Despite Cold War talk, the US and China aren’t partitioning the globe. Middle powers hedge, forming issue-by-issue coalitions on trade, tech, and security. Regional blocs and supply chains dilute big-power control, while sanctions and standards create overlapping alignments. The Global South asserts agency, balancing ties to both capitals. The result is messy, multipolar, and fluid, shifting incentives and pragmatic partnerships.