From then on, the tension between China and the United States on account of Taiwan increased exponentially and practically in parallel with the Russian invasion of Ukraine. In this context, the visit of Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the House of Representatives, to the Pacific island drew the attention of the whole world, fearful of a confrontation between the two great world superpowers, with the permission of Moscow. A hypothetical confrontation is unpredictable, and given the military power of both countries, it seems unlikely that it would lead to an open and direct war. However, comparisons can be made to see their relative defensive capabilities. Before analyzing any data, two issues must be taken into account. First, that the mere comparison of figures does not offer a complete picture of either of the two countries. The second is asymmetric information. better than usa it offers in detail the composition of its Army, given that it is a democracy where there is an oversight of public action; China's figures are always based on estimates and have certain blind spots. Desktop code Image for mobile, amp and app Mobile code AMP code 5900 APP code An example of this is the money allocated to defense. Biden announced last March that he had budgeted an expense of 813.000 million dollars; which represents 4,18% of its 2021 GDP. For its part, at the inaugural session of the Chinese National People's Assembly, it was reported that 209.646 million dollars will be generated in addition to the armed forces (1,4% of GDP). But this amount has an asterisk. The SIPRI —an independent institution dedicated to conflict research and arms control— calculated in a 2019 report that actual spending exceeds the official budget by 40%. A 539% increase in the Chinese military budget In any case, what is clear is that Beijing is strengthening its military power. And he spends more and more money. Since 2000, it has increased its budget by 539%, while the US. only 60%. Added to this escalation is the Asian giant's own economic growth. According to Goldman Sachs, by 2030 China will overtake the US. in GDP and by 2050, it will have $35 trillion more. As for the current troops, there are still differences between the two armies, although they will be reduced more and more. In the personnel section, the Chinese have forces made up of two million souls for the one million three hundred thousand Americans. Although there are more Chinese, proportionally with its total population it is smaller. Military service is compulsory in China: it lasts two years and must be performed between the ages of 18 and 22. However, in the Asian country, military service is compulsory for a minimum period of 2 years. There are doubts about the effectiveness of such an obligation, due to the huge population, but there have been known cases of sanctions against those who have tried to escape. The human factor, a great advantage for the US The big difference with respect to the troops lies in the human factor. U.S. He has extensive and historical experience in combat, especially among the commanders, while in the Chinese army he suffers from a certain degree of corruption and nepotism in high places, which harms him a lot, something that has already happened to Russia in the Ukrainian War. However, Xi Jinping announces his intention to completely modernize his Armed Forces by 2035. Too many foreigners 177.000 US soldiers they are outside the territory, while China has less than 5.000 from Washington, in addition, troops have been sent to other countries and their presence abroad is overwhelmingly greater than China's. More than 177.000 Americans are outside its borders, with 65.000 in Europe or 56.000 in Japan, for example. The presence outside China of its Army is comparatively insignificant: it does not reach 5.000 displaced persons. But the interesting thing here is to observe the trends. Since Beijing, the Chinese military strategy has changed, moving from a defensive attitude against the closest dangers (Taiwan, South Korea and Japan), to an expansion to other latitudes, with special attention to the African continent. Another point in which the trends are interesting is in nuclear matters. The number of warheads available to the Pentagon is not comparable to the Chinese: 3.708 compared to the 350 estimated to have Beijing. But while the US is reducing its nuclear stockpiles—in 2011 it had 8.500—China is on the rise. Ten years ago it only had 200 and there is information that indicates that they are building 300 nuclear silos; although again, the nebula in terms of information invites us to be cautious. In any case, the Asians are already, after Russia and the US. the third nuclear power. However, there is the panorama of events in Ukraine, the forecasts on the reduction of nuclear weapons are not as clear as before. As HM Kristensen, principal investigator at SIPRI, points out, the deactivation of characteristic nuclear devices at the end of the war seems to have ended. China boasts the largest navy in the world; USA dominates the sky If there is a field in which it can affirm that China speaks face to face with Joe Biden's country, it is in the naval force. The Asian country's navy is the largest in the world and outnumbers the 'US Navy'. Although, with many nuances. U.S. it has more power—eleven carriers against two and nine helicopter carriers against one—and it has bigger ships overall. Another point of concern for the Pentagon is the land of hyposonic missiles. Although they remain the main power, the Chinese have vastly improved their capabilities. Also available from a great power in cyber matters. Their numbers the complaints that from the US. have occurred about it. China has vastly improved its hypersonic missile capability, though the US. It remains the first power Where there is no rival for the United States is in the sky. Washington's air force is more than four times larger than Beijing's. The but here is the other way around: although it cannot compete with its planes, China has a strong anti-aircraft defense deployed, although it would be useless in a combat outside its territory. Generally speaking, the United States can continue to claim that it has the largest military force. But his superiority is less and less. There seems to be no doubt that China's objective is to become the hegemonic power, also in the military field, although it is not something immediate. Nor should we disdain that their current inferiority cannot be so inferior in a 'local' confrontation, near the Chinese borders. US Intelligence He noted in May that El Pekin is preparing for the invasion of Taiwan by 2027. But a confrontation far from home, such as in the Arctic, leaves him in a clear inferiority. Asymmetric alliances But China still has the last of the lack of experience and the low human level of some of its high officials. Something of vital importance after what was seen in the Russian troops during the invasion of Ukraine. And the Moscow-Beijing connection does not have the same strength as the alliances signed by Washington. The phrase "China challenges our interests, security and values and seeks to undermine the rules of the international order" of the Madrid NATO Summit Declaration was signed by the 30 member countries. And, although Xi Jinping claimed responsibility for the Russian action against kyiv, he continues to advocate a negotiated solution. The confrontation is unlikely, although the tension continues to rise. For Beijing, the trip is a "violation of its sovereignty." For Pelosi, an "honor to democracy." For many Americans, standing up to China is a necessity. And, for the most populous country in the world, the United States, an incentive to exalt its patriotism.
