The Avoidable War
 | |
| Author | Kevin Rudd |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Subject | Geopolitics |
| Genre | non-fiction |
| Published | 22 March 2022 |
| Publisher | PublicAffairs |
| Publication place | United States |
| Media type | Paperback |
| Pages | 432 |
| ISBN | 978-1541701298 |
The Avoidable War: The Dangers of a Catastrophic Conflict between the US and Xi Jinping's China is a non-fiction book by Kevin Rudd, the former prime minister of Australia.
Overview and content
[edit]In the book's 17 chapters,[1] the author talks about the relationship between the United States and China as well as ways to handle competition between these two great powers to avoid a conflict that could have catastrophic consequences.[2]
Reception
[edit]In a book review at The Financial Times, James Crabtree writes, "Rudd’s book provides a rich and realistic portrayal of China’s motivations, as well as a stark warning to a world standing on the edge of a conflict potentially far more devastating than Russia’s recent invasion of Ukraine. His argument contains an intriguing balance of pessimism and optimism. On the one hand, competition between the superpowers is inevitable. Rudd sketches out 10 plausible scenarios over Taiwan, half of which end in military confrontation."[3]
Writing for The Sasakawa Peace Foundation, Thomas Wilkens of the Australian Strategic Policy Institute writes, "Rudd illustrates why he believes the dangers have increased through his systematic analysis of the Xi Jinping regime’s worldview and how this will grate against American strategic interests. In the course of the book, he provides reasoned argument and trenchant analysis of this worldview, affording valuable observations throughout, based on his familiarity with China and vast diplomatic experience (of which he frequently reminds the reader)."[1]
Australian Naval Institute's Tim Coyle writes in his book review, "Kevin Rudd aims this book at an American readership; however, it is equally appliable to regional and extra-regional countries as any war between the US and China would be catastrophic for the world."[4]
References
[edit]- ^ a b Wilkins, Thomas. "Averting a Sino-American Conflict: A Review of Kevin Rudd's The Avoidable War". The Sasakawa Peace Foundation. Retrieved 21 February 2023.
- ^ "Kevin Rudd's The Avoidable War: The Dangers of a Catastrophic Conflict between the U.S. and Xi Jinping's China". The National Bureau of Asian Research (NBR). Retrieved 21 February 2023.
- ^ Crabtree, James (2 May 2022). "The Avoidable War — averting a conflict between the US and China". Financial Times. Retrieved 21 February 2023.
- ^ ANI. "The Avoidable War; The Dangers of a Catastrophic US-China Conflict | The Australian Naval Institute". Retrieved 21 February 2023.