War Or Peace? (the United States And China, 2026–2049)

Are America and China destined for war?

China and the USA will determine the course of the next century. What can we expect?

Today, China and the USA account for forty per cent of the globe’s GDP and over a fifth of its population; their rivalry impacts the lives of everyone on this planet. As political relations between the two have grown ever frostier through the twenty-first century, the question inevitably arises: are America and China now destined for war? Or is our fragile global order on the brink of another colossal shift – but in a very different direction? 

On the 250^th anniversary of American independence and beyond, Tim Hames looks to the past, present and future of these two great powers for answers. Examining the potentialities of the next twenty-five years – collaboration or competition; peace or conflict – War or Peace? offers an insightful exploration of the countries’ fractious, unpredictable dynamic. In mapping a path to peace, Hames presents the alternative to much vaunted and apocalyptic Thucydides Trap which asserts that an outright all-out clash is close to inevitable.

Tim Hames is a specialist in the relationship between politics and business. He began his career as an academic at Oxford University, with a focus on American politics and UK Government, before joining The Times where he was an Assistant Editor, chief leader writer and weekly political columnist. In 2022, he co-authored The Long Shot: The Inside Story of the Race to Vaccinate Britain with Dame Kate Bingham.

A timely exploration of China and the USA’s relationship, released for the 250th anniversary of American independence.


Hames’ previous book The Long Shot, co-authored with Dame Kate Bingham, was a Sunday Times bestseller and a Financial Times Book of the Year.