Former US secretary of state Henry Kissinger has warned that a cataclysmic conflict between the USA and China is inevitable and will be “worse than world wars” unless something drastic is done to sort out their differences.

Kissinger issued the dire warning at an event hosted by the National Committee on US China Relations in New York last week.

“We are in a difficult period now. I am confident the leaders on both sides will realize the future of the world depends on the two sides working out solutions and managing the inevitable difficulties,” said Kissinger.

Summit.news reports: A permanent conflict between Washington And Beijing would be unwinnable and lead to “catastrophic outcome,” he added.

“It’s no longer possible to think that one side can dominate the other…it will be worse than the world wars that ruined European civilization,” said Kissinger.

The U.S. and China have been embroiled in a trade war since President Trump began imposing tariffs on thousands of Chinese-made products in a bid to end unfair trading practices.