London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Oct 30, 2025

World War 3: Henry Kissinger warns of ‘catastrophic’ conflict between China and US

World War 3: Henry Kissinger warns of ‘catastrophic’ conflict between China and US

THE US-China trade war could lead to a "catastrophic outcome" that "will be worse than world wars", according to a former US secretary of state.

Henry Kissinger said the "future of the world" depended on the US and China resolving their differences. He warned competition between the world's two largest economies was "permanent" and that they had to "get used to" the "rivalry" or risk disastrous consequences.

Mr Kissinger was the diplomatic driving force behind then US President Richard Nixon's groundbreaking visit to China in 1972.

Known in Beijing as "an old friend of the Chinese people", he also met with Chinese President Xi Jinping and senior cabinet officials ahead of the G20 meeting between President Donald Trump and Mr Xi last year.

Speaking in New York on Thursday, the 96-year-old veteran said the relationship between the US and China began as a strategic one under mutual pressure from the Soviet Union.

He told his audience: “There were differences at the beginning of the relationship.

"Nevertheless, we’ve learned to live with each other for many decades."

Mr Kissinger argued that there were fundamental differences between the American and Chinese way of negotiations, so the US needed to change their mindset with a rising China.

“It is no longer possible to think that one side can dominate the other.

"So those countries that used to be exceptional and used to be unique, have to get used to the fact that they have a rival.

He added: “Competition is permanent.”

The former US secretary of state said conflicts were "inevitable" given the history between the superpowers, however failure to mend relations would be extremely dangerous.

He said: “There may not be a complete agreement.

"What is imperative is that both countries understand that a permanent conflict between them cannot be won.

"There will be a catastrophic outcome if it leads to permanent conflict."

The result would be "worse than the world wars that ruined European civilisation", he warned.

“We are in a difficult period now.

"I am confident the leaders on both sides will realise the future of the world depends on the two sides working out solutions and managing the inevitable difficulties.

Mr Kissinger's comments came as trade war talks between Washington and Beijing rumble on.

Tensions have been simmering for some time, but boiled over when President Trump hiked tariffs and trade barriers after the US grew restless over unfair trade methods from Beijing.

Washington complaints included theft of trade secrets, theft of intellectual property and forced transfer of US technology to China.

The subsequent economic impact on both has been huge, particularly on China as it looks to propel itself into dominance.

President Xi blamed Mr Trump for political hostility that has gripped the two countries.

He said: “Protectionist and bullying counter-currents bring shocks to international trade, adding to downward pressure on the world economy.”

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
UK and Vietnam Sign Landmark Migration Deal to Fast-Track Returns of Irregular Arrivals
UK Drug-Pricing Overhaul Essential for Life-Sciences Ambition, Says GSK Chief
Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie Temporarily Leave the UK Amid Their Parents’ Royal Fallout
UK Weighs Early End to Oil and Gas Windfall Tax as Reeves Seeks Investment Commitments
UK Retail Inflation Slows as Shop Prices Fall for First Time Since Spring
Next Raises Full-Year Profit Guidance After Strong Third-Quarter Performance
Reform UK’s Lee Anderson Admits to 'Gaming' Benefits System While Advocating Crackdown
United States and South Korea Conclude Major Trade Accord Worth $350 Billion
Hurricane Melissa Strikes Cuba After Devastating Jamaica With Record Winds
Vice President Vance to Headline Turning Point USA Campus Event at Ole Miss
U.S. Targets Maritime Narco-Routes While Border Pressure to Mexico Remains Limited
Bill Gates at 70: “I Have a Real Fear of Artificial Intelligence – and Also Regret”
Elon Musk Unveils Grokipedia: An AI-Driven Alternative to Wikipedia
Saudi Arabia Unveils Vision for First-Ever "Sky Stadium" Suspended Over Desert Floor
Amazon Announces 14 000 Corporate Job Cuts as AI Investment Accelerates
UK Shop Prices Fall for First Time Since March, Food Leads the Decline
London Stock Exchange Group ADR (LNSTY) Earns Zacks Rank #1 Upgrade on Rising Earnings Outlook
Soap legend Tony Adams, long-time star of Crossroads, dies at 84
Rachel Reeves Signals Tax Increases Ahead of November Budget Amid £20-50 Billion Fiscal Gap
NatWest Past Gains of 314% Spotlight Opportunity — But Some Key Risks Remain
UK Launches ‘Golden Age’ of Nuclear with £38 Billion Sizewell C Approval
UK Announces £1.08 Billion Budget for Offshore Wind Auction to Boost 2030 Capacity
UK Seeks Steel Alliance with EU and US to Counter China’s Over-Capacity
UK Struggles to Balance China as Both Strategic Threat and Valued Trading Partner
Argentina’s Markets Surge as Milei’s Party Secures Major Win
British Journalist Sami Hamdi Detained by U.S. Authorities After Visa Revocation Amid Israel-Gaza Commentary
King Charles Unveils UK’s First LGBT+ Armed Forces Memorial at National Memorial Arboretum
At ninety-two and re-elected: Paul Biya secures eighth term in Cameroon amid unrest
Racist Incidents Against UK Nurses Surge by 55%
UK Chancellor Rachel Reeves Cites Shared Concerns With Trump Administration as Foundation for Early US-UK Trade Deal
Essentra plc: A Closer Look at a UK ‘Penny Stock’ Opportunity Amid Market Weakness
U.S. and China Near Deal to Avert Rare-Earth Export Controls Ahead of Trump-Xi Summit
Justin time: Justin Herbert Shields Madison Beer with Impressive Reflex at Lakers Game
Russia’s President Putin Declares Burevestnik Nuclear Cruise Missile Ready for Deployment
Giuffre’s Memoir Alleges Maxwell Claimed Sexual Act with Clooney
House Republicans Move to Strip NYC Mayoral Front-Runner Zohran Mamdani of U.S. Citizenship
Record-High Spoiled Ballots Signal Voter Discontent in Ireland’s 2025 Presidential Election
Philippines’ Taal Volcano Erupts Overnight with 2.4 km Ash Plume
Albania’s Virtual AI 'Minister' Diella Set to 'Birth' Eighty-Three Digital Assistants for MPs
Tesla Unveils Vision for Optimus V3 as ‘Biggest Product of All Time’, Including Surgical Capabilities
Francis Ford Coppola Auctions Luxury Watches After Self-Financed Film Flop
Convicted Sex Offender Mistakenly Freed by UK Prison Service Arrested in London
United States and China Begin Constructive Trade Negotiations Ahead of Trump–Xi Summit
U.S. Treasury Sanctions Colombia’s President Gustavo Petro over Drug-Trafficking Allegations
Miss USA Crowns Nebraska’s Audrey Eckert Amid Leadership Overhaul
‘I Am Not Done’: Kamala Harris Signals Possible 2028 White House Run
NBA Faces Integrity Crisis After Mass Arrests in Gambling Scandal
Swift Heist at the Louvre Sees Eight French Crown Jewels Stolen in Under Seven Minutes
U.S. Halts Trade Talks with Canada After Ontario Ad Using Reagan Voice Triggers Diplomatic Fallout
Microsoft AI CEO: ‘We’re making an AI that you can trust your kids to use’ — but can Microsoft rebuild its own trust before fixing the industry’s?
×