New London — When former ambassador to the United Nations and the country's first director of national intelligence John Negroponte addresses Coast Guard Academy cadets Wednesday night, his message will be this: the U.S. still has the strongest economy and military in the world, our alliances are in good shape, but a resurgent Russia and a rising China pose new challenges to the geopolitical landscape.

"China is going to be probably the single most important bilateral relationship that the United States has going forward. One way or another I'm sure that's going to affect their careers just like it'll affect others," Negroponte said in a brief phone interview Monday before his address at the academy. "We're going to have to deal with a stronger China."

Negroponte is the 2018 Coast Guard Foundation Hedrick Fellow. The program brings world-renowned political, military, and industry leaders to the academy to share their knowledge and insight with cadets and faculty. The event is not open to the public.

"It seems to me that the basic challenge for us and this group of cadets when they finish their studies is going to be to continue to help America be strong, both militarily and economically, so that we can carry our load in world affairs," he said.

Asked what lessons in history the cadets might want to keep in mind as they think about a "rising" China, Negroponte cited the famous assertion from the ancient Greek historian Thucydides that what made the Peloponnesian War inevitable was the growth of Athenian power and the fear that it caused in Sparta.

"The historical question is just because China is increasing in its power, does that make war inevitable? Obviously in this nuclear age, that is something none of us want to see happen," he said. "We're going to have to be thinking hard about ways to manage the relationship with China over the years that makes room for both of these great powers on the world scene."

Throughout his 44 years of government service, Negroponte worked closely with the Coast Guard on a number of issues. And in his talk, he intends to outline some of the ways the Coast Guard and Foreign Service have worked together. As deputy assistant secretary of state for oceans and fisheries, he worked closely with the Coast Guard on ocean enforcement issues, and rode on a Coast Guard icebreaker as it was breaking up ice in Antarctica's McMurdo Sound.