Entering a New Phase of Geopolitical De-Risking

Can U.S. cities protect themselves from foreign influence? As Sino-U.S. sister city partnerships come under growing scrutiny, Vincent Sipeer examines how local diplomacy has become an overlooked front in great power competition. He argues that while China’s tightly coordinated system gives it an asymmetric advantage, the U.S. must not emulate authoritarian control. Instead, he calls for a new strategy of geopolitical de-risking—one that builds local capacity, strengthens multi-level coordination, and safeguards democratic integrity in city-to-city relations.