> "Don't interrupt your opponent when they're making a mistake"

Yeah, that's the obvious answer, but I suspect there's a point where if the US fucks things up too quickly and too messily, there's fewer customers for China's crap and/or the random throws of monkey shit drag China into messes they don't feel like dealing with.

Slow erosion of the US's global power is likely better for them than an implosion that might cause collatoral damage.