> Aside from sanctions/trade wars and legal litigation, the other alternative would be a legitimate war This isn't true at all. There are many, many levers of

> Aside from sanctions/trade wars and legal litigation, the other alternative would be a legitimate war This isn't true at all. There are many, many levers of diplomatic power, and the U.S. has far more of them than anyone (or they did before they started withdrawing from a world leadership position). There are many, many things that China wants and needs, economically, politically, in trade, in finance, in agriculture, in tech, etc. etc. The U.S. can make them pay a price in many ways without starting a trade war. That's the essential art of diplomacy: Act without escalating to a bigger problem.