The rivalry between the United States and China is a defining feature of the 21st century. This competition involves two major powers, one seeking to maintain its dominance and the other challenging it.
The United States is focusing on its territorial strength and maintaining control of the oceans. China is expanding economically and commercially, particularly through initiatives like the Silk Road.
The competition extends beyond economics and trade to technology, including artificial intelligence and space exploration. It also involves a global geopolitical realignment, which often leads to military implications. This includes regional conflicts and the potential threat of nuclear war.
Currently, the United States appears to be on the defensive, facing internal crises and an isolationist government. Conversely, China is pursuing its goals with strategic patience, drawing on its cultural traditions and strong national unity under the Communist Party.
China's educational system promotes a historical narrative that emphasizes its past greatness, the period of decline from 1840 due to foreign invasions, and its resurgence after the communist revolution in 1949.
China is now the world's leading manufacturing economy, with a growing economy and significant presence in all continents through its Silk Road initiative. China's image is also improving, and the actions of former US President Trump have inadvertently helped China's position.
The future may see a bipolar world dominated by China and the United States, similar to the US-Soviet Union dynamic of the 20th century. This could lead to regional conflicts and a constant stream of alarming news.
The world continues to change, but not always as dramatically as it may seem. Human nature, with its emotions, fears, and aspirations, remains constant.