Today’s Washington Post reports on the “new ‘Great Game’ between the U.S. and China.” The article throws us back in time to “19th century clash of empires” and jolts us forward to China’s raining 21st century cash upon Pacific Island communities.

Under old world 19th century rules, countries relied on invading other countries, often slaughtering inhabitants, to secure natural resources or routes of transport.

Old-world imperialism rewarded geographic command, which made the term “geopolitics” appropriate and made thinking about projecting national power in board game terminology understandable.

The new world system is still trying to taper imperialistic impulses to control global resources by conquest and occupation. New world efforts use concepts of laws and markets to trade and distribute resources peaceably. Rather than “geopolitical” strategies and tactics, the new world system tries to reward “ideopolitical” strengths.

Often, cash signals “ideopolitical” power. The Communist Party of China jerks between old and new world systems to advance its agendas. It threatens and supports invasions and, also, uses cash for conquest.

When the US National Security Advisor, Jake Sullivan, visits China, he should use China’s need for US cash investments to restrain its threats of Taiwan conquest and its support for Putin’s attempt to occupy Ukraine.