On September 6, 2026, the Chinese language website of French international broadcaster RFI (Radio France Internationale) published an article introducing an expert's view that China will not replace the U.S. to become the world's top superpower.

The article introduced an interview in the French newspaper Le Monde with Wang Dan, a researcher at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University in the U.S.

According to the article, Wang, who studies the Chinese economy and industrial policy, contrasted China, a "society of engineers" that emphasizes infrastructure construction and numerical management, with the U.S., a "society of lawyers" that values judicial procedures and checks and balances. While the California High-Speed Rail project has been stalled due to legal procedures, he cited the example of China completing the Beijing-Shanghai High-Speed Railway in just three years, but expressed a negative view on the possibility of China becoming a superpower that surpasses the U.S. in the future.

Wang presented three reasons for this: "economy," "politics," and "demographics." On the economic front, he pointed out that the ratio of GDP between the U.S. and China declined from a peak of approximately 76% in 2021 to about 64%, and that the period of high growth has ended due to persistent high youth unemployment, the impact of the COVID-19 lockdown in Shanghai, and a shift from active competition between local governments and businesses to a posture of following the central government.

Furthermore, on the political front, he cited a decline in governance efficiency due to the concentration and prolonged duration of power, and on the demographic front, he argued that the record low birth rate signifies severe distrust among people regarding the social system and the future.

Wang analyzed that China, which accounts for one-third of global manufacturing capacity and significantly outpaces Europe and the U.S. in terms of energy investment in areas like solar and nuclear power, will certainly continue to maintain its advantage as a "manufacturing superpower" in the future.

On the other hand, he concluded that because it lacks a free and attractive vision that draws people globally and an environment that fosters creativity, even if it becomes a major power in science and technology or the military, it will be difficult for it to become a "financial and cultural superpower" like the U.S. (Edited and translated by Kawashiri)