https://www.economist.com/china/2024/11/04/in-some-areas-of-military-strength-china-has-surpassed-america />Skip to content * Menu * Weekly edition * The world in brief * Search Log in * Opinion + Leaders + Letters to the editor + By Invitation + Current topics o US elections 2024 o War in Ukraine o War in the Middle East o The World Ahead 2024 o Climate change o Coronavirus o The world economy o Artificial intelligence * Current topics + US elections 2024 + War in Ukraine + War in the Middle East + The World Ahead 2024 + Climate change + Coronavirus + The world economy + Artificial intelligence * World + The world this week + China + United States + Europe + Britain + Middle East & Africa + Asia + The Americas + International + A-Z of international relations + A-Z of military terms + A-Z of US politics + US election poll tracker * In depth + Science & technology + Briefing + Graphic detail + The Economist explains + Special reports + Technology Quarterly + Essay + Schools brief * Business & economics + Finance & economics + Business + Big Mac index + A-Z of economics + Economic & financial indicators * Culture & society + 1843 magazine + Culture + Obituary + The Economist reads + Christmas Specials * More + Podcasts + Newsletters + Films + The Economist app + SecureDrop + Subscriber events + Economist Education courses + Economist Enterprise * My Economist * Saved stories * Log out * Saved stories * Account * Log out Search [ ] Try AI-powered search China | Eagle v Dragon In some areas of military strength, China has surpassed America The modernisation of the PLA is proceeding at an extraordinary pace Naval vessel Yantai docking at Yantai City, Shandong Province Photograph: Xinhua/Eyevine Nov 4th 2024 Share WHOEVER SUCCEEDS Joe Biden in the White House on January 20th will receive the same simple message from all 18 of America's intelligence agencies: Russia may be causing mayhem in Europe, but only China has the wherewithal to mount a global challenge. "Beijing is accelerating the development of key capabilities," said the co-ordinating body for American spooks last year. Those capabilities, it added, are ones that China "believes the People's Liberation Army (PLA) needs to confront the United States in a large-scale, sustained conflict". 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