​​​​This matters to me because I lived and worked in China for nearly ten years. I saw how seriously people there take relationships in business, education, and government. I also thought about decisions being made around the world that would eventually affect Black people back home. Where were we in those conversations? Who was preparing our young people to enter them?

This visit gave me another reason to ask. 

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When President Trump went to Beijing in May 2026, President Xi brought up the “Thucydides Trap.” Xi brought it up again during his visit to Washington, saying the two countries could overcome it. The idea is that when one country gains power and another fears losing its place, the tension can lead to conflict.

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I hear Xi asking whether the United States and China can make a different choice. That question matters far more than the people in the room.

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I want the United States to do well. That is why I think we need to understand where we are. The World Bank puts the U.S. economy at $30.8 trillion in 2025 and China’s at $19.5 trillion. The United States still has the lead in that regard. At the same time, China exported $3.77 trillion in items in 2025, according to the World Trade Organization. They have built business relationships around the world, and countries have choices about whom they work with. On top of that, our economies are tied together, too. Right now China is holding about $618 billion in U.S. Treasury securities. Their amounts have gone down, and China is not the largest foreign holder. Still, that is a lot of money invested in American debt. We can compete with China and disagree with its government, but we cannot pretend the relationship has no effect on our lives.

So what does any of this have to do with Black Americans?

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A lot.

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Decisions about where companies build, what they buy, and who they partner with can affect jobs and businesses in our communities. But international affairs are often discussed as if they have nothing to do with us until the consequences start affecting us.

I want us to pay attention sooner. I want more Black Americans building relationships, asking questions, negotiating term and agreements, and helping decide what U.S. interests are. We have people qualified to do that work now. We also have young people who could do it in the future if we give them the chance to prepare.

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That preparation starts with awareness. Our children should learn about China, its history, its people, and its role in the world economy. They should have opportunities to study Mandarin and other languages. They should learn how a business decision made overseas can affect a neighborhood in Chicago. And they should meet Black people who have lived abroad or built international careers, so they know those paths are open to them.

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That belief is part of why I created Global Pathways. My work in language and global education is about giving young people the knowledge and confidence to take part in a world that already affects them. I want them to see themselves in that world and have the preparation to help shape it.

It is also a question I want to explore through the Black-Asian Bridge Initiative, an initiative of the Global Pathways Cultural Foundation. What would it look like to build stronger relationships between Black and Chinese American communities here in Chicago? What could our young people learn from one another? What opportunities could we help them reach together?

I cannot tell you what everyone at the state dinner discussed. I can tell you what those images made me think about. When Chinese people see America’s leaders and business figures gathered together, I wonder what picture they get of who holds influence and power here. I want that picture to include us.

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Xi says the United States and China can avoid the trap of conflict. I hope we do. While our leaders work through that question, we have work of our own: learn what is changing, make our voices heard, build relationships, and prepare the next generation to walk into those rooms ready to contribute.

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This is the first article in a series exploring Black participation in global decisions and the relationships we can build closer to home.

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About the author: Rahsaan Liddell is a Chicago educator who lived and worked in China for nearly ten years. He founded Global Pathways and is a doctoral student in Value-Creating Education for Global Citizenship at DePaul University. The Black-Asian Bridge Initiative is an initiative of the Global Pathways Cultural Foundation.

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Sources

Xi’s May remarks:
https://www.fmprc.gov.cn/eng/xw/zyxw/202605/t20260514_11910330.html

Xi’s September remarks:
https://www.fmprc.gov.cn/mfa_eng/xw/zyxw/202609/t20260925_12031176.html

World Bank GDP data:
https://data.worldbank.org/?locations=US-EU-CN

World Trade Organization trade report:
https://www.wto.org/english/res_e/booksp_e/gtos0326_e.pdf

U.S. Treasury holdings:
https://ticdata.treasury.gov/resource-center/data-chart-center/tic/Documents/slt_table5.html

White House state visit account:
https://www.whitehouse.gov/releases/2026/09/president-trump-first-lady-conclude-historic-china-state-visit/