POTUS was in town, met with Xi. Reports are, upon just before the formality of the start of a meeting, Xi mentioned or referenced, "transcend the Thucydides Trap".
There are news stories circulating on the Internet, corroborating the science and theory of the "Thucydides Trap", perhaps trying to 'rationalize' and provide a logical connection to what the authors assert as current political/economic standings if the nations. Is PR involved, well with big newspapers, maybe.
There is a good chance, that as held commonly through the study of the martial arts, a lot which is practiced or from China, that it really doesn't matter which nation has an upper hand, or is an underdog, compared to the other.
The idea, or concept of transcending, is the key.
That transcending the trap, which there are many traps which should be transcended, which one of the whole points of world leaders, generally, any world leaders, especially at a high level of advanced nations, meeting.
Transcending means to completely transcend, to the extent which there is no chance left, of falling into the trap, and of course that all aspects of the possible traps should be transcended as well.
It appears that the question, presented, of can we transcend... is a polite and diplomatic gesture, conversation opener, to set a tone and goals, of a positive direction to be headed.
Of course that means peace included.
Transcending in numerous Chinese philosophical translations to English, often is in subjects having to do with the 'heavens'.
Posted by HCN.
