After the Soviet Union imploded in the early 1990s, the United States became the sole superpower, elevated to the status of a "hyperpower".
But then came China, which after decades of torrid economic growth has become the second-largest economy in the world, on track to overtake the US by 2030 by some estimates, and is already a formidable technological power.
Already a subscriber? Log in
Read the full story and more at $9.90/month
Get exclusive reports and insights with more than 500 subscriber-only articles every month
ST One Digital
$9.90/month
No contract
ST app access on 1 mobile device
Unlock these benefits
All subscriber-only content on ST app and straitstimes.com
Easy access any time via ST app on 1 mobile device
E-paper with 2-week archive so you won't miss out on content that matters to you