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China vs. USA: Who will lead the global economy?

Christian Pricelius
September 26, 2025

China’s economy is rapidly catching up to the US. GDP, energy use, and debt may reveal which superpower will lead next.

https://p.dw.com/p/516Y0

China is challenging the US for global economic leadership. While the US still leads in gross national product, China dominates in exports, tradesurpluses and green technologies like solar panels and electric vehicles. Through diplomacy and strategic investments, China is expanding its influence, especially in the Global South. At the same time, India emerges as a democratic alternative in a shifting multipolar world, while high debt, an aging population and surveillance concerns in China may hinder its rise. 

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