Opinion | America in decline? China still has a way to go before it can seriously challenge the US

America’s ‘failure’ in Afghanistan appears to confirm that it is in the throes of irreversible decline

However, on top of US military superiority, key economic indicators also show China still lacks the clout to challenge America’s global leadership

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Members of the British and US military take part in the evacuation of personnel from Kabul airport in Afghanistan on August 20. Photo: dpa

Published: 3:30am, 31 Aug 2021Updated: 4:38am, 31 Aug 2021

Not surprisingly, some in China have reacted with glee to the Taliban victory in Afghanistan, with the Global Times describing the United States as a “paper tiger” witnessing a “complete failure” in the country known as the “graveyard of empires”.

The paper also warned: “When its interests require it to abandon allies, Washington will not hesitate to find every excuse to do so.”

Such attacks appear to confirm what many have long suspected: that Beijing is convinced the US is in the throes of irreversible decline, presenting China with the opportunity to take up the reins of global leadership.

What is alarming to the US and its allies is that America’s decline has become the premise of much of Beijing’s increasingly assertive foreign policy, particularly regarding Taiwan, raising the risk of war significantly.

This is the moment scholars of international affairs fear most, when a rising power believes it has crossed the threshold necessary to challenge a dominant power. It is at these moments when “hegemonic wars” most often break out, and Taiwan could spark such a conflict.

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