CONFLICTIQ
HEAD TO HEAD

China vs United States

China
29%
RAI
United States
71%

Verdict

United States holds a 71–29 advantage over China on the Relative Advantage Index, a decisive margin.

The margin is driven by nuclear warheads (90% of the combined total, 5.2k) and military spending (74% of the combined total, $954bn). China leads on active personnel.

Factor by factor

FactorChinaShareUnited StatesWeight
Military spending
SIPRI Milex
$336bn
26%74%
$954bn25%
Economic size (GDP)
World Bank WDI
$18.7tn
39%61%
$28.8tn20%
Active personnel
COW NMC
2.0m
60%40%
1.4m15%
Nuclear warheads
FAS Nuclear Notebook
600
10%90%
5.2k25%
Logistics & power projection
OurAirports
402
20%80%
1.6k15%

Shares are each side's portion of the combined total for that factor. Weights are renormalised across the factors both sides publish — see the methodology. Data read 2026-08-04.

Full China dossier →Full United States dossier →Run a war game →

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Major-power matchups (435)

Every combination inside the top 30 of the Composite Power Index.

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IndonesiaColombia v IranColombia v ItalyColombia v JapanColombia v MexicoColombia v MyanmarColombia v North KoreaColombia v PakistanColombia v PhilippinesColombia v PolandColombia v RussiaColombia v Saudi ArabiaColombia v South KoreaColombia v SpainColombia v ThailandColombia v TürkiyeColombia v UkraineColombia v United KingdomColombia v United StatesColombia v VietnamEgypt v EthiopiaEgypt v FranceEgypt v GermanyEgypt v IndiaEgypt v IndonesiaEgypt v IranEgypt v ItalyEgypt v JapanEgypt v MexicoEgypt v MyanmarEgypt v North KoreaEgypt v PakistanEgypt v PhilippinesEgypt v PolandEgypt v RussiaEgypt v Saudi ArabiaEgypt v South KoreaEgypt v SpainEgypt v ThailandEgypt v TürkiyeEgypt v UkraineEgypt v United KingdomEgypt v United StatesEgypt v VietnamEthiopia v FranceEthiopia v GermanyEthiopia v IndiaEthiopia v IndonesiaEthiopia v IranEthiopia v ItalyEthiopia v JapanEthiopia v MexicoEthiopia v MyanmarEthiopia v North KoreaEthiopia v PakistanEthiopia v PhilippinesEthiopia v PolandEthiopia v RussiaEthiopia v Saudi ArabiaEthiopia v South KoreaEthiopia v SpainEthiopia v ThailandEthiopia v TürkiyeEthiopia v UkraineEthiopia v United KingdomEthiopia v United StatesEthiopia v VietnamFrance v GermanyFrance v IndiaFrance v IndonesiaFrance v IranFrance v ItalyFrance v JapanFrance v MexicoFrance v MyanmarFrance v North KoreaFrance v PakistanFrance v PhilippinesFrance v PolandFrance v RussiaFrance v Saudi ArabiaFrance v South KoreaFrance v SpainFrance v ThailandFrance v TürkiyeFrance v UkraineFrance v United KingdomFrance v United StatesFrance v VietnamGermany v IndiaGermany v IndonesiaGermany v IranGermany v ItalyGermany v JapanGermany v MexicoGermany v MyanmarGermany v North KoreaGermany v PakistanGermany v PhilippinesGermany v PolandGermany v RussiaGermany v Saudi ArabiaGermany v South KoreaGermany v SpainGermany v ThailandGermany v TürkiyeGermany v UkraineGermany v United KingdomGermany v United StatesGermany v VietnamIndia v IndonesiaIndia v IranIndia v ItalyIndia v JapanIndia v MexicoIndia v MyanmarIndia v North KoreaIndia v PakistanIndia v PhilippinesIndia v PolandIndia v RussiaIndia v Saudi ArabiaIndia v South KoreaIndia v SpainIndia v ThailandIndia v TürkiyeIndia v UkraineIndia v United KingdomIndia v United StatesIndia v VietnamIndonesia v IranIndonesia v ItalyIndonesia v JapanIndonesia v MexicoIndonesia v MyanmarIndonesia v North KoreaIndonesia v PakistanIndonesia v PhilippinesIndonesia v PolandIndonesia v RussiaIndonesia v Saudi ArabiaIndonesia v South KoreaIndonesia v SpainIndonesia v ThailandIndonesia v TürkiyeIndonesia v UkraineIndonesia v United KingdomIndonesia v United StatesIndonesia v VietnamIran v ItalyIran v JapanIran v MexicoIran v MyanmarIran v North KoreaIran v PakistanIran v PhilippinesIran v PolandIran v RussiaIran v Saudi ArabiaIran v South KoreaIran v SpainIran v ThailandIran v TürkiyeIran v UkraineIran v United KingdomIran v United StatesIran v VietnamItaly v JapanItaly v MexicoItaly v MyanmarItaly v North KoreaItaly v PakistanItaly v 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VietnamNorth Korea v PakistanNorth Korea v PhilippinesNorth Korea v PolandNorth Korea v RussiaNorth Korea v Saudi ArabiaNorth Korea v South KoreaNorth Korea v SpainNorth Korea v ThailandNorth Korea v TürkiyeNorth Korea v UkraineNorth Korea v United KingdomNorth Korea v United StatesNorth Korea v VietnamPakistan v PhilippinesPakistan v PolandPakistan v RussiaPakistan v Saudi ArabiaPakistan v South KoreaPakistan v SpainPakistan v ThailandPakistan v TürkiyePakistan v UkrainePakistan v United KingdomPakistan v United StatesPakistan v VietnamPhilippines v PolandPhilippines v RussiaPhilippines v Saudi ArabiaPhilippines v South KoreaPhilippines v SpainPhilippines v ThailandPhilippines v TürkiyePhilippines v UkrainePhilippines v United KingdomPhilippines v United StatesPhilippines v VietnamPoland v RussiaPoland v Saudi ArabiaPoland v South KoreaPoland v SpainPoland v ThailandPoland v TürkiyePoland v UkrainePoland v United KingdomPoland v United StatesPoland v VietnamRussia v Saudi ArabiaRussia v South KoreaRussia v SpainRussia v ThailandRussia v TürkiyeRussia v UkraineRussia v United KingdomRussia v United StatesRussia v VietnamSaudi Arabia v South KoreaSaudi Arabia v SpainSaudi Arabia v ThailandSaudi Arabia v TürkiyeSaudi Arabia v UkraineSaudi Arabia v United KingdomSaudi Arabia v United StatesSaudi Arabia v VietnamSouth Korea v SpainSouth Korea v ThailandSouth Korea v TürkiyeSouth Korea v UkraineSouth Korea v United KingdomSouth Korea v United StatesSouth Korea v VietnamSpain v ThailandSpain v TürkiyeSpain v UkraineSpain v United KingdomSpain v United StatesSpain v VietnamThailand v TürkiyeThailand v UkraineThailand v United KingdomThailand v United StatesThailand v VietnamTürkiye v UkraineTürkiye v United KingdomTürkiye v United StatesTürkiye v VietnamUkraine v United KingdomUkraine v United StatesUkraine v VietnamUnited Kingdom v United StatesUnited Kingdom v VietnamUnited States v Vietnam

Neighbour rivalries (473)

Bordering states — the comparisons people actually search for.

Afghanistan v ChinaAfghanistan v IranAfghanistan v PakistanAfghanistan v RussiaAfghanistan v TajikistanAfghanistan v TurkmenistanAfghanistan v UzbekistanAlbania v CroatiaAlbania v GreeceAlbania v ItalyAlbania v MaltaAlbania v MontenegroAlbania v North MacedoniaAlbania v SerbiaAlgeria v FranceAlgeria v ItalyAlgeria v LibyaAlgeria v MaliAlgeria v MauritaniaAlgeria v MoroccoAlgeria v NigerAlgeria v SpainAlgeria v TunisiaAndorra v FranceAndorra v SpainAngola v Congo RepublicAngola v DR CongoAngola v GabonAngola v NamibiaAngola v ZambiaAntigua and Barbuda v BarbadosAntigua and Barbuda v GrenadaAntigua and Barbuda v St. Kitts and NevisAntigua and Barbuda v St. LuciaAntigua and Barbuda v St. Vincent and the GrenadinesAntigua and Barbuda v VenezuelaArgentina v BoliviaArgentina v BrazilArgentina v ChileArgentina v ParaguayArgentina v UruguayArmenia v AzerbaijanArmenia v GeorgiaArmenia v IranArmenia v TürkiyeAustralia v Papua New GuineaAustralia v Timor-LesteAustria v CzechiaAustria v GermanyAustria v HungaryAustria v ItalyAustria v LiechtensteinAustria v SerbiaAustria v SlovakiaAustria v SloveniaAustria v SwitzerlandAzerbaijan v GeorgiaAzerbaijan v IranAzerbaijan v KazakhstanAzerbaijan v RussiaAzerbaijan v TürkiyeAzerbaijan v TurkmenistanBahamas v CubaBahamas v Dominican RepublicBahamas v HaitiBahamas v JamaicaBahamas v United StatesBahrain v IranBahrain v IraqBahrain v KuwaitBahrain v OmanBahrain v QatarBahrain v Saudi ArabiaBahrain v United Arab EmiratesBangladesh v IndiaBangladesh v MyanmarBarbados v DominicaBarbados v GrenadaBarbados v GuyanaBarbados v St. LuciaBarbados v St. Vincent and the GrenadinesBarbados v Trinidad and TobagoBarbados v VenezuelaBelarus v LatviaBelarus v LithuaniaBelarus v PolandBelarus v RussiaBelarus v UkraineBelgium v DenmarkBelgium v FranceBelgium v GermanyBelgium v LuxembourgBelgium v NetherlandsBelgium v United KingdomBelize v CubaBelize v GuatemalaBelize v HondurasBelize v MexicoBenin v Burkina FasoBenin v GhanaBenin v NigerBenin v NigeriaBenin v TogoBhutan v ChinaBhutan v IndiaBolivia v BrazilBolivia v ChileBolivia v ParaguayBolivia v PeruBosnia and Herzegovina v CroatiaBosnia and Herzegovina v MontenegroBosnia and Herzegovina v SerbiaBotswana v NamibiaBotswana v South AfricaBotswana v ZambiaBotswana v ZimbabweBrazil v EcuadorBrazil v GuyanaBrazil v ParaguayBrazil v PeruBrazil v SurinameBrazil v UruguayBrazil v VenezuelaBrunei Darussalam v MalaysiaBrunei Darussalam v PhilippinesBulgaria v GreeceBulgaria v North MacedoniaBulgaria v RomaniaBulgaria v RussiaBulgaria v SerbiaBulgaria v TürkiyeBulgaria v UkraineBurkina Faso v Côte d'IvoireBurkina Faso v GhanaBurkina Faso v MaliBurkina Faso v NigerBurkina Faso v TogoBurundi v DR CongoBurundi v RwandaBurundi v TanzaniaCabo Verde v SenegalCambodia v LaosCambodia v MalaysiaCambodia v ThailandCambodia v VietnamCameroon v Central African RepublicCameroon v ChadCameroon v Congo RepublicCameroon v Equatorial GuineaCameroon v GabonCameroon v NigerCameroon v NigeriaCameroon v Sao Tome and PrincipeCentral African Republic v ChadCentral African Republic v Congo RepublicCentral African Republic v DR CongoCentral African Republic v South SudanCentral African Republic v SudanChad v LibyaChad v NigerChad v NigeriaChile v PeruChina v KazakhstanChina v KyrgyzstanChina v LaosChina v MongoliaChina v NepalChina v TaiwanChina v TajikistanColombia v Costa RicaColombia v Dominican RepublicColombia v EcuadorColombia v HaitiColombia v JamaicaColombia v NicaraguaColombia v PanamaColombia v PeruColombia v VenezuelaComoros v MadagascarComoros v MozambiqueComoros v SeychellesComoros v TanzaniaCongo Republic v DR CongoCongo Republic v GabonCosta Rica v El SalvadorCosta Rica v GuatemalaCosta Rica v NicaraguaCosta Rica v PanamaCôte d'Ivoire v GhanaCôte d'Ivoire v GuineaCôte d'Ivoire v LiberiaCôte d'Ivoire v MaliCroatia v GreeceCroatia v HungaryCroatia v ItalyCroatia v MontenegroCroatia v SloveniaCuba v Dominican RepublicCuba v HaitiCuba v HondurasCuba v JamaicaCuba v MexicoCuba v United StatesCyprus v EgyptCyprus v GreeceCyprus v IsraelCyprus v LebanonCyprus v SyriaCyprus v TürkiyeCzechia v GermanyCzechia v PolandCzechia v SlovakiaDenmark v EstoniaDenmark v FranceDenmark v GermanyDenmark v LatviaDenmark v LithuaniaDenmark v NetherlandsDenmark v NorwayDenmark v PolandDenmark v SwedenDenmark v United KingdomDjibouti v EritreaDjibouti v EthiopiaDjibouti v Saudi ArabiaDjibouti v SomaliaDjibouti v YemenDominica v GrenadaDominica v St. Kitts and NevisDominica v St. LuciaDominica v St. Vincent and the GrenadinesDominica v VenezuelaDominican Republic v HaitiDominican Republic v JamaicaDominican Republic v St. Kitts and NevisDR Congo v RwandaDR Congo v South SudanDR Congo v SudanDR Congo v TanzaniaDR Congo v UgandaDR Congo v ZambiaEcuador v PeruEgypt v GreeceEgypt v IraqEgypt v IsraelEgypt v JordanEgypt v LebanonEgypt v LibyaEgypt v SudanEgypt v SyriaEl Salvador v GuatemalaEl Salvador v HondurasEl Salvador v NicaraguaEquatorial Guinea v GabonEquatorial Guinea v NigeriaEquatorial Guinea v Sao Tome and PrincipeEritrea v EthiopiaEritrea v Saudi ArabiaEritrea v SudanEritrea v YemenEstonia v FinlandEstonia v GermanyEstonia v LatviaEstonia v PolandEstonia v SwedenEswatini v MozambiqueEswatini v South AfricaEthiopia v KenyaEthiopia v SomaliaEthiopia v South SudanEthiopia v SudanEthiopia v YemenFiji v TongaFiji v TuvaluFinland v GermanyFinland v LatviaFinland v LithuaniaFinland v NorwayFinland v SwedenFrance v IrelandFrance v LuxembourgFrance v MonacoFrance v NetherlandsFrance v SwitzerlandFrance v TunisiaFrance v VaticanGabon v NigeriaGabon v Sao Tome and PrincipeGambia v SenegalGeorgia v RussiaGeorgia v TürkiyeGeorgia v UkraineGermany v HungaryGermany v LatviaGermany v LithuaniaGermany v LuxembourgGermany v NetherlandsGermany v NorwayGermany v SerbiaGermany v SwedenGermany v SwitzerlandGhana v NigeriaGhana v TogoGreece v LibyaGreece v MaltaGreece v North MacedoniaGrenada v GuyanaGrenada v St. Kitts and NevisGrenada v St. Vincent and the GrenadinesGrenada v Trinidad and TobagoGuatemala v HondurasGuatemala v MexicoGuatemala v NicaraguaGuinea-Bissau v SenegalGuinea v Guinea-BissauGuinea v LiberiaGuinea v MaliGuinea v SenegalGuinea v Sierra LeoneGuyana v St. LuciaGuyana v St. Vincent and the GrenadinesGuyana v SurinameGuyana v Trinidad and TobagoHaiti v JamaicaHonduras v JamaicaHonduras v MexicoHonduras v NicaraguaHungary v RomaniaHungary v RussiaHungary v SlovakiaHungary v SloveniaHungary v UkraineIndia v MalaysiaIndia v MaldivesIndia v NepalIndia v Sri LankaIndonesia v MalaysiaIndonesia v Micronesia, Fed. Sts.Indonesia v PalauIndonesia v Papua New GuineaIndonesia v SingaporeIndonesia v Timor-LesteIran v IraqIran v KazakhstanIran v KuwaitIran v OmanIran v QatarIran v TurkmenistanIran v United Arab EmiratesIraq v JordanIraq v KuwaitIraq v QatarIraq v SyriaIreland v United KingdomIsrael v JordanIsrael v LebanonIsrael v Saudi ArabiaIsrael v SyriaItaly v LibyaItaly v MaltaItaly v MonacoItaly v MontenegroItaly v San MarinoItaly v SloveniaItaly v SwitzerlandItaly v TunisiaItaly v VaticanJamaica v NicaraguaJapan v TaiwanJordan v Saudi ArabiaJordan v SyriaKazakhstan v KyrgyzstanKazakhstan v RussiaKazakhstan v TurkmenistanKazakhstan v UzbekistanKenya v SomaliaKenya v South SudanKenya v SudanKenya v TanzaniaKenya v UgandaKiribati v Marshall IslandsKiribati v NauruKiribati v TuvaluKuwait v QatarKuwait v Saudi ArabiaKyrgyzstan v TajikistanKyrgyzstan v UzbekistanLaos v MyanmarLaos v ThailandLaos v VietnamLatvia v LithuaniaLebanon v SyriaLebanon v TürkiyeLesotho v South AfricaLiberia v Sierra LeoneLibya v MaltaLibya v NigerLibya v TunisiaLiechtenstein v SwitzerlandMadagascar v MozambiqueMadagascar v SeychellesMalawi v MozambiqueMalawi v TanzaniaMalawi v ZambiaMalaysia v PhilippinesMalaysia v SingaporeMalaysia v VietnamMali v MauritaniaMali v SenegalMalta v TunisiaMauritania v MoroccoMauritania v SenegalMauritania v SpainMauritius v SeychellesMicronesia, Fed. Sts. v PalauMicronesia, Fed. Sts. v Papua New GuineaMoldova v RomaniaMoldova v UkraineMonaco v SpainMongolia v RussiaMontenegro v SerbiaMorocco v PortugalMorocco v SpainMozambique v SeychellesMozambique v South AfricaMozambique v TanzaniaMozambique v ZambiaMozambique v ZimbabweNamibia v South AfricaNamibia v ZambiaNetherlands v NorwayNetherlands v United KingdomNicaragua v PanamaNigeria v Sao Tome and PrincipeNigeria v TogoNorth Macedonia v SerbiaNorway v United KingdomOman v PakistanOman v QatarOman v SomaliaOman v United Arab EmiratesOman v YemenPalau v PhilippinesPapua New Guinea v Solomon IslandsPhilippines v TaiwanPoland v RomaniaPoland v SlovakiaPortugal v SpainQatar v United Arab EmiratesRomania v RussiaRussia v TurkmenistanRwanda v TanzaniaRwanda v UgandaSamoa v TongaSaudi Arabia v United Arab EmiratesSaudi Arabia v YemenSeychelles v TanzaniaSlovakia v UkraineSolomon Islands v VanuatuSomalia v TanzaniaSouth Africa v ZimbabweSouth Sudan v SudanSouth Sudan v UgandaSpain v TunisiaSt. Kitts and Nevis v St. LuciaSt. Lucia v Trinidad and TobagoSudan v UgandaSuriname v Trinidad and TobagoSweden v United KingdomTajikistan v UzbekistanTürkiye v VaticanTurkmenistan v UzbekistanZambia v Zimbabwe