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China as an economic and political superpower

ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½app×îа汾 editorial report on China as a global power

China's transformation from the world's factory floor to a global economic and strategic power has entered a new phase. The 15th Five-Year Plan, adopted in March 2026, placed technological self-sufficiency at the center of growth, while a record 1.2 trillion U.S. dollar trade surplus in 2025 showed how effectively Beijing had diversified its export relationships amid new policies on U.S. tariffs.

This report examines China's position as a potential superpower through the lens of economics, military capability, and trade. It traces how decades of investment-driven growth gave way to a strategy built around innovation and resilience, and how relationships with the U.S., Southeast Asia, and the Global South are changing. From semiconductor supply chains to Belt and Road Investment (BRI) flows, the analysis highlights where China's influence is expanding, where it faces limits, and what that means for business leaders and policymakers.

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Table of contents

China’s growth and economic challenges

  • Decades of development and investment
  • China's trade background
  • The population in perspective

China’s strategy for future growth
  • The expanding role of consumption in China
  • Slow progress in the service sector
  • Investments for the future

China's expanding influence and military power
  • Global views on China
  • Comparing military strength
  • The topic of Taiwan

Influence through trade reorientation
  • China's trade pivot
  • The BRI and BRICS+ as tools of global influence
  • The invisible trade balance

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