If the US went to war with China, who would win? (2024)

Opinion

America's advantage not as overwhelming as it appears

If the US went to war with China, who would win? (1) James Stavridis Guest Writer

| China

If the US went to war with China, who would win? (2)

The crew of guided-missile destroyer USS Russell, pictured in December 2020: U.S. ships are manned by far more experienced personnel. (Handout photo from the U.S. navy)

Admiral James Stavridis was 16th Supreme Allied Commander of NATO and 12th Dean of the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University. He spent the bulk of his operational career in the Pacific, and is author of "2034: A Novel of the Next World War."

A great deal has been written about the possibility of a war between the U.S. and China. It tends to be measured in theoretical terms, and much of the analysis centers on exactly when it might occur. But the vital question is really quite simple: who would win?

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If the US went to war with China, who would win? (2024)

FAQs

What happens if America goes to war with China? ›

A war would halt this trade (as well as American and allied shipments to China). U.S. supplies of many products could soon run low, paralyzing a vast range of businesses. It could take months to restore trade, and emergency rationing of some items would be needed.

Which country is stronger China or USA? ›

Key Points. The United States has been ranked the most powerful country in Asia in a new Lowy Institute report.

Can China defeat US Navy? ›

An American naval expert has warned US military planners that the US Navy might lose to China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy, which enjoys a substantial numerical advantage over the US, saying, “the side with the most ships almost always wins.”

Will China surpass the US in military power? ›

Not only does China have 2 million more personnel than the US military, but it also has the highest number of active-duty combatants in the world, counting 2,185,000 members. China is also poised to quadruple its stockpile of nuclear warheads by 2035, bringing it to close parity with the United States.

Is China a threat to the US? ›

The counterintelligence and economic espionage efforts emanating from the government of China and the Chinese Communist Party are a grave threat to the economic well-being and democratic values of the United States. Confronting this threat is the FBI's top counterintelligence priority.

Who are China's allies? ›

China entered into diplomatic relations with Malaysia, Thailand, the Philippines, Bangladesh and Maldives in Southeast Asia and South Asia, seven countries including Iran, Turkey and Kuwait in West Asia and the Middle East and five countries in South Pacific such as Fiji and Papua New Guinea.

Who has the most advanced military? ›

1. United States Of America. US Military has the biggest defence budget in the world. They are known for their most powerful Air Force on the planet, named as United States Air Force (USAF).

Which country is powerful than US? ›

Overall, the most powerful countries in the world are those with a combination of economic, military, and cultural power. The United States remains the most powerful country in the world, followed by China and Russia.

Can U.S. submarines defeat China? ›

The U.S. Navy Submarine Force Could Sink The Chinese Fleet And Save Taiwan, But At The Cost Of A Quarter Of Its Boats.

Why is the US military so powerful? ›

The U.S. Armed Forces has significant capabilities in both defense and power projection due to its large budget, resulting in advanced and powerful technologies which enables a widespread deployment of the force around the world, including around 800 military bases outside the United States.

Who has the best air force in the world? ›

The United States of America maintains the strongest Air Force in the world by an impressive margin. As of late 2021, the United States Air Force (USAF) is composed of 5217 active aircraft, making it the largest, the most technologically advanced, and the most powerful air fleet in the world.

Can US Air Force defeat China? ›

The USAF would require over 300 bombers to defeat China, which includes 225 of the recently unveiled B-21, together with several dozen B-1s and B-52s, according to Mark Gunzinger, a retired USAF colonel, who leads future concepts and capability assessments at the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies, part of the ...

Is the US military ready for war? ›

Currently, 60% of our active force is at the highest state of readiness and could deploy to combat in less than 30 days, well exceeding the minimum of the one-third standard that we've always had. Ten percent of our force could deploy in less than 96 hours. The United States military is ready," he said.

Is China a threat to Canada? ›

Foreign interference is the 'greatest strategic threat' facing Canada's national security, CSIS says. The Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) is calling foreign interference activities by the Chinese government the "greatest strategic threat to national security."

What does China call itself? ›

The People's Republic of China (Zhōnghuá Rénmín Gònghéguó) and Republic of China (Zhōnghuá Mínguó) are the official names for the two contemporary sovereign states currently claiming sovereignty over the traditional area of China.

Who owns TikTok? ›

Fact: TikTok's parent company ByteDance Ltd. was founded by Chinese entrepreneurs, but today, roughly sixty percent of the company is beneficially owned by global institutional investors such as Carlyle Group, General Atlantic, and Susquehanna International Group.

Is China an ally of the US or Russia? ›

Although they have no formal alliance, the two countries do have an informal agreement to coordinate diplomatic and economic moves, and build up an alliance against the United States.

Who is America allies? ›

United States Allies and NATO
  • United States of America — 1949 (founded)
  • Belgium — 1949.
  • Canada — 1949.
  • Denmark — 1949.
  • France — 1949.
  • Iceland — 1949.
  • Italy — 1949.
  • Luxembourg — 1949.

Which country is the best friend of China? ›

Pakistan and China have long praised the close ties the two countries have with each other.

Which country will start WW3? ›

Only 3 countries can be real trigger of nuclear WW3 now: USA, Russia and China. Next candidates in the future are tandems India / Pakistan, Iran / Israel. In depth SW bug of ICBM and other nuclear weapons control systems which activate nuclear attack.

How to survive WW3? ›

Stay clean and destroy potentially contaminated clothing. Wash yourself heavily with soap and “clean” water. Stay positive. Should we ever experience a devastating event such as a nuclear blast, we will all need to band together and lean on each other to make through each day going forward.

Which countries will be destroyed in World War 3? ›

  • Ukraine. Ukrainian artillery fires in the Zaporizhzhia Region in December 2022. ...
  • Taiwan. Taiwanese troops during an exercise simulating an attempted amphibious landing by Chinese forces in May 2019. ...
  • Greece-Turkey. ...
  • Korean Peninsula. ...
  • China-India.
Jan 3, 2023

Who is the toughest military? ›

We all know that the American Armed Forces is the world's most elite fighting force. Others may try, but nothing can compare to the strength found in the U.S. military. One of the many reasons for this is that America trains harder than anyone.

Who has the best war technology? ›

The country with the most advanced military technology is the United States of America (USA). Russia, China, France, and the United Kingdom are the other countries with the most advanced military technology in the world.

Who are the best soldiers in the world? ›

Top 10 Strongest Armies in the World in Detail
  • The United Kingdom. ...
  • Italy. ...
  • France. ...
  • South Korea. ...
  • India. ...
  • China. ...
  • Russia. ...
  • The United States. The US possesses a fleet of ten aircraft carriers, which is its most significant conventional military advantage.
Dec 23, 2022

Who is more powerful the US or Russia? ›

The US dominates the air with far more bases, fighter jets and bombers than Russia but Russia is superior on the ground with more tanks, artillery and land vehicles. At sea, the countries are more evenly matched, but here the US has the edge with more destroyers, submarines and aircraft carriers.

Is the US still the top superpower? ›

Currently, only the United States fulfills the criteria to be considered a superpower. However, the United States is no longer the only uncontested foremost superpower and the world's sole hyperpower to dominate in every domain (i.e. military, culture, economy, technology, diplomatic).

Can China destroy U.S. aircraft carriers? ›

China's hypersonic weapons could destroy the US Navy's newest aircraft carrier in a recent war game, Chinese scientists have claimed.

Can the US detect enemy submarines? ›

Countries like the United States and China have built networks of hydroacoustic sensors, which use sonar technology to detect submarines that navigate close to their coastal borders and strategic military locations. Map of hydroacoustic monitoring stations in the CTBTO's international monitoring system (IMS).

How deep can American subs go? ›

A nuclear submarine can dive to a depth of about 300m. This one is larger than the research vessel Atlantis and has a crew of 134. The research vessel Atlantis, shown at the surface, is 274 feet long.

Who has a stronger military than the US? ›

China wields by far the world's largest military, with 2.8 million soldiers, sailors and airmen—twice the American number. (The United States is number two; the only other countries with more than a million active duty troops are China's neighbors—Russia, India and North Korea.)

How far advanced is the US military? ›

United States is ranked 1 of 145 out of the countries considered for the annual Global Firepower review. The nation holds a Power Index score of 0.0712 with a score of 0.0000 being considered exceptional in the GFP assessment. This country is a Top 5 world power according to the GFP index formula.

Does the US have the strongest military ever? ›

The United States of America is a North American nation that is the world's most dominant economic and military power.

Who has the most advanced Air Force? ›

United States Air Force

As per the reports, by 2021, the United States Air Force (USAF) is comprised of 5217 active aircraft, making it the largest, the most technologically evolved, and the most powerful air fleet in the world.

Which country has best fighter jets? ›

For starters, the United States is often considered supreme in terms of producing highly sophisticated aircraft, like fighter jets. The F-15 Eagle, F-16 Fighting Falcon, F-18 Super Hornet, and F-22 Raptor are just a few examples of top fighters.

What is the most advanced fighter jet in the world today? ›

The F-35 strengthens national security, enhances global partnerships and powers economic growth. As the most lethal, survivable and connected fighter jet in the world, the F-35 gives pilots the critical advantage against any adversary, enabling them to execute their mission and come home safe.

Is China allies with US or Russia? ›

Nevertheless, China and Russia currently enjoy the best relations they have had since the late 1950s. Although they have no formal alliance, the two countries do have an informal agreement to coordinate diplomatic and economic moves, and build up an alliance against the United States.

Has the US ever fought China in a war? ›

1950: Korean War

Soon after the start of the Korean War, General Douglas MacArthur led U.S. forces across the 38th Parallel and drove north towards China, which brought China into the conflict and precipitated the first military clash between U.S. and Chinese forces since the Boxer Uprising of 1900.

Is there cold war between US and China? ›

In March 2021, Columbia University professor Thomas J. Christensen wrote that the cold war between the US and China "is unlikely" in comparison to the original Cold War, citing China's prominence in the "global production chain" and absence of the authoritarianism vs. liberal democracy dynamic.

Is the US in economic war with China? ›

An economic conflict between China and the United States has been ongoing since January 2018, when U.S. President Donald Trump began setting tariffs and other trade barriers on China with the goal of forcing it to make changes to what the U.S. says are longstanding unfair trade practices and intellectual property theft ...

Which country is best friend of China? ›

Pakistan has a long and strong relationship with China. The long-standing ties between the two countries have been mutually beneficial. A close identity of views and mutual interests remain the centre-point of bilateral ties.

Who are US allies? ›

The United States has bilateral relations with many countries in the Indo-Pacific. The U.S. also has treaty allies – Japan, South Korea, the Philippines, Australia and Thailand. The U.S. works with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations – which includes 10 nations.

Why is China helping Russia? ›

China has become an increasingly important trading partner for Russia as it seeks to soften the impact of economic sanctions imposed by some countries in response to its invasion.

Has China ever won a war? ›

This month marks the 50th anniversary of China's attack on India, the only war Communist China has won despite involvement in multiple military conflicts since 1950. Its decisive victory over India, however, failed to end bilateral disputes, with the war's legacy continuing to weigh down the relationship.

Did China defeat US in Korean War? ›

For the Chinese communists, entering the Korean War on the side of North Korea was a major turning point for the war and for themselves. Fighting the Americans (the UN Forces) to a stalemate was a major victory for the new government of this poor but populous nation.

Who have China been at war with? ›

Wars involving the People's Republic of China
WarPeople's Republic of China and allies
Xinjiang conflict (1960–present)China
Sino-Indian War (1962)China
Vietnam War (1965–1969)North Vietnam Viet Cong Pathet Lao Khmer Rouge China Soviet Union North Korea
Nathu La and Cho La clashes (1967)China
15 more rows

What would happen if the US stopped importing from China? ›

This data suggests that if U.S. hypothetically stops buying Chinese goods, China's export will suffer a 18% loss, which accounts for 18%*20% = 3.6% of China's GDP. It is unlikely a 3.6% loss in GDP will collapse the Chinese economy.

Who won Cold War? ›

The Russian Federation became the Soviet Union's successor state, while many of the other republics emerged from the USSR's collapse as fully independent post-Soviet states. The United States was left as the world's sole superpower. The Cold War and its events have left a significant legacy.

Should the United States trade with China? ›

It supports US jobs.

While expanding foreign trade can disrupt US employment, trade with China also creates and supports a significant number of American jobs. Exports to China support over 1 million US jobs, and Chinese companies invested in the United States employ over 160,000 workers.

Will China take USA place as the world no 1 economy? ›

China is forecast to overtake the US as the world's largest economy by around 2035, while India is expected to become the world's second largest by 2075. The two countries will be followed by the US in third place, according to a long-term outlook by Goldman Sachs.

What does the US rely on China for? ›

In 2021, U.S. exports of Agricultural Products to China continue to show an upward trend. In 2021, U.S. exports of Agriculture Products were $31.6 billion, an increase of 27.5% ($6.8 billion) from $24.8 billion in 2020. In 2021, China remained the major source of U.S. imports of Textile Products.

What does China buy from the US? ›

China Imports from United StatesValueYear
Machinery, nuclear reactors, boilers$19.66B2022
Mineral fuels, oils, distillation products$19.08B2022
Electrical, electronic equipment$18.30B2022
Optical, photo, technical, medical apparatus$13.46B2022
93 more rows

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