Both U.S. and Chinese leaders are guilty of personalizing the conflict-prone Sino-American relationship. Continuing down this path raises the question of which country is truly exceptional.
U.S. President Donald Trump speaks at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland, January 21, 2026. Credit: World Economic Forum via Flickr
The United States and China have long been the most prominent representatives of two opposing systems: democracy and socialism. But they increasingly share one crucial characteristic — personalized leadership — that blurs the otherwise sharp distinction between the two. This raises the important question: which country is truly exceptional?
The "shining city" mentioned in Reagan's farewell address, January 11, 1989. Credit: Reagan Library
American exceptionalism is, of cou
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