Chinese President Xi Jinping has quietly laid the groundwork for a long-term geopolitical and ideological struggle with the United States, using insights from the Soviet Union’s collapse as a cautionary blueprint. According to the Wall Street Journal, Xi has prioritized building economic self-sufficiency, maintaining global market ties, and strengthening Communist Party control as key elements of his Cold War strategy.

Since assuming power in 2012, Xi has often warned against the ideological drift that led to the Soviet Union’s disintegration. In speeches and party directives, he has stressed that the Communist Party must maintain strict ideological discipline to avoid the same fate. “Competition is fierce in the ideological domain,” Xi told senior officials in 2013, framing thought control as central to national survival.

Avoiding Isolation, Embracing Multialignment

Unlike the USSR, China under Xi has actively avoided geopolitical isolation. While challenging U.S. dominance, Beijing promotes “multialignment,” encouraging ties with a diverse group of nations, especially across the Global South. China’s Belt and Road Initiative has been restructured to counter accusations of debt-trap diplomacy, aiming to solidify China’s long-term influence without replicating the Eastern bloc’s isolation.

Xi’s “dual circulation” policy—emphasizing domestic production while maintaining export markets—aims to insulate China from Western pressure. Military spending continues to grow, but without a costly arms race. Instead, Beijing plays the long game, employing a strategy reminiscent of guerrilla warfare: win by not losing. Trade talks, global influencer campaigns, and targeted economic alliances serve to buy time while China closes its technological and industrial gaps with the U.S.

The Trump Catalyst and U.S. Policy Continuity

Xi’s strategic shift intensified following Trump’s 2018–19 trade war and has continued under President Biden. U.S. sanctions, export controls, and aid cuts have reinforced Beijing’s perception of inevitable confrontation, pushing Xi to press harder on his Cold War preparations.

China’s path is not without internal contradictions. Xi’s consolidation of power and focus on ideological purity have stifled innovation and contributed to deflation and economic slowdown. But advisers say Xi sees these as acceptable costs in a longer struggle to redefine global power balances.