Abstract From the late 19th century to the early 20th century, America has realized its strategic rise as a sea power. There are many similarities between the marine geopolitical situations that US ever faced during that time and what China confronts in the South China Sea at present. In the 19th century, the question of how to realize the emergence as a sea power drove Mahan to study the Caribbean Sea power, and the dredge of the Panama Canal was the external stimuli to the emphasized importance of the Caribbean Sea. Then Britain⁃America ties fuel further tension as the so⁃called Thucydides trap. However, the development of history showed that America rose smoothly without the war. China faces a similar situation now, but China would never do the same things as America did in the 19th century. While avoiding risks and taking the opportunity, China should decide carefully and act effectively to realize strategic rise in the sea.
ZHANG Xiaodong. Avoiding So⁃called Thucydides Trap in the South China Sea—Inspiration from Geopolitical History in the Caribbean Sea[J]. 太平洋学报, 2017, 25(12): 56-65.
2017, Vol. 25 
