While it has been over 60 years since Great Powers engaged one another in direct military conflict, recent years have seen a marked rise in the assertiveness of great powers such as Russia and China. This is manifested in rhetoric, but also through ever more confrontational moves, from the Russian annexation of the Crimea to disputes over the South China Sea.
Does this suggest a resurgence in the risk of great power conflict? This study provides a closer look through an evidence-based assessment of long-term trends in the assertiveness of China and Russia, and points to worrying trends in how far two these great power contenders have been willing to go to assert themselves in the international arena.
You can download the study here.