'Clash of civilizations' narrative dangerous

Speaking at a recent defense forum in Washington, Kiron Skinner, director of policy planning in the US Department of State, described the United States' competition with China as "a fight with a really different civilization and a different ideology". She also said that the "Cold War constituted... a fight within the Western family", while the coming conflict with China is "the first time that we will have a great power competitor that is not Caucasian".

Skinner's speech soon went viral for all the wrong reasons, drawing criticism from politicians and academics alike.

The US media speculated that Skinner's speech could have far-reaching implications, meaning the US' China policy might be undergoing another major change - perhaps the US no longer sees China as a strategic competitor but as a rival civilization. Obviously, this sends a dangerous signal.