There has been unprecedented strategic distrust between China and the US. Washington believes China is determined to overtake the US in all aspects to eventually dominate the world, while Beijing thinks the US seeks to contain or even destroy China.

What will China and the US be like in 30 years, 50 years or by the end of the century? China plans to build itself into a great modern socialist country by 2050 to realize the century-old dream of the Chinese people. In the decades to come, China will likely have the world’s largest economy, but its GDP per capita is unlikely to rank among the highest in the world due to the country’s large population and limited resources.

China can hardly catch up with the US with regard to technology innovation and cultural creativity. The US will likely maintain its dominance in the two key sectors. These fields demand the full play of imagination which is not a strong point in traditional Chinese culture since throughout their life Chinese are encouraged to prioritize national interests and collectivism. It is thus difficult for China to become the innovation center and lead global technological development and popular culture. Also China has a lot of work to do to establish an inclusive, diverse and highly modernized society that supports technological innovation and creativity.

In general, China has been rising thanks to its immense market created by people’s hard work, the government’s organizational capability and sizable population. Despite China’s efforts to improve its scientific and technological capabilities, the country won’t overtake the US in technological innovation and creative industries this century. Moreover, China is unlikely to build a global military base network like the US has done despite the former’s enhancing military might. China pursues a national defense policy that is purely defensive and is not designed for global military competition with the US.

In the future, China will boast an increasingly sizable economy and become the world’s largest market for consumer and high-tech goods. The US will remain a global innovation center, the breeding ground for emerging industries and the largest exporter of pop cultural products. The two countries will have different strengths.

As great countries, China and the US should become the driving force for human society rather than fighting with each other. Such rationality should become the mainstay of China-US relations during their ups and downs.