People's Republic of China vs United States of America
The US leads in GDP per capita ($76,398 vs $12,720), military spending ($820 billion vs $296 billion), and per-capita innovation metrics, while China leads in total GDP ($17.8 trillion vs $27.4 trillion nominal, though PPP differs), population (1.43 billion vs 343 million), and manufacturing output. The US maintains technological dominance in semiconductors and software, while China dominates in rare earth minerals, battery production, and export volume.
People's Republic of China vs United States of America — Side-by-side comparison on A Versus B
One-party socialist state with world's second-largest economy, dominant manufacturing sector, and 1.4 billion population.
Federal republic with the world's largest economy and military superpower status.
Total GDP (2024). GDP Per Capita. Military Spending (2024). Population. Manufacturing Output (%). Human Development Index (HDI). Renewable Energy Capacity (GW)
Choose the United States if prioritizing individual wealth, technological innovation leadership, military dominance, and institutional stability with robust democratic checks. Choose China if analyzing manufacturing scale, population-driven growth, renewable energy infrastructure investment, and emerging market influence. Neither is universally 'better'—their strengths operate in different domains, with the US excelling in per-capita metrics and innovation, while China leads in aggregate production capacity and strategic resource control.
People's Republic of China: $17.9 trillion | United States of America: $28.7 trillion
People's Republic of China: $35.0+ trillion | United States of America: $31.82 trillion
People's Republic of China: 4.7% | United States of America: 2.5%
People's Republic of China: 14.77% | United States of America: 22.73%
People's Republic of China: 1.0x (baseline) | United States of America: 6.31x higher
People's Republic of China: 70% | United States of America: Emerging leader, <30%
People's Republic of China: 35% | United States of America: ~15%
Combined Global Economic Share (Nominal)
People's Republic of China: 42.46% (combined US-China) | United States of America: 42.46% (combined US-China)
People's Republic of China: $14,100 | United States of America: $89,000+
People's Republic of China: 15.2% | United States of America: 23.6%
People's Republic of China: 70% | United States of America: 18%
People's Republic of China: 80%+ | United States of America: ~15%
People's Republic of China: €467 | United States of America: €3,981
People's Republic of China: 70% | United States of America: 20%
People's Republic of China: 94% | United States of America: 6%
People's Republic of China: $45.78 trillion | United States of America: $15.29 trillion
People's Republic of China: $15,000 | United States of America: $94,800
People's Republic of China: 4.5-4.8% | United States of America: 2.0-2.5%
People's Republic of China: 35% | United States of America: ~18%
People's Republic of China: $17.9 trillion | United States of America: $30.1 trillion
People's Republic of China: 4.6–4.8% | United States of America: 2.0–2.5%
People's Republic of China: 80%+ | United States of America: <5%
Lithium Iron Phosphate Battery Production
People's Republic of China: ~4.0% (estimated) | United States of America: 4.5%
People's Republic of China: $17.9 trillion | United States of America: N/A
People's Republic of China: 4.8% | United States of America: N/A
People's Republic of China: 38.4 years | United States of America: N/A
People's Republic of China: $313.7 billion | United States of America: €925,796.8M
People's Republic of China: €469 | United States of America: N/A
JPMorgan Growth Leadership Outlook (2026)
People's Republic of China: Secondary | United States of America: N/A
People's Republic of China: $18.74T | United States of America: N/A
People's Republic of China: 5.0-5.3% | United States of America: N/A
People's Republic of China: $6,240,157.8M | United States of America: €10,266.8B
People's Republic of China: 32.94% | United States of America: N/A
People's Republic of China: €299,621.7M | United States of America: N/A
People's Republic of China: $620,062.8M | United States of America: N/A
People's Republic of China: €11,242 | United States of America: N/A
People's Republic of China: $17.99 trillion | United States of America: $27.36 trillion
People's Republic of China: $12,720 | United States of America: $76,398
People's Republic of China: 28% | United States of America: 16%
People's Republic of China: $7.8T | United States of America: $2.9T
People's Republic of China: $296 billion | United States of America: $820 billion
People's Republic of China: 2.1% | United States of America: 3.4%
People's Republic of China: 45,000 km | United States of America: 743 km
People's Republic of China: 1,500,000 | United States of America: 635,000
People's Republic of China: 8 universities | United States of America: 27 universities
People's Republic of China: $189 billion (2023) | United States of America: $384 billion (2023)
People's Republic of China: $17.9 trillion | United States of America: $27.3 trillion
People's Republic of China: 77.9 years | United States of America: 78.4 years
People's Republic of China: 1,500,000 | United States of America: 614,000
People's Republic of China: 1,854 GW | United States of America: 707 GW
People's Republic of China: 2.1 physicians | United States of America: 4.7 physicians
People's Republic of China: $292 billion | United States of America: $820 billion
People's Republic of China: 1,200 | United States of America: 371.8
People's Republic of China: $17.8 trillion | United States of America: $27.3 trillion
People's Republic of China: $17.9 trillion | United States of America: $27.4 trillion
People's Republic of China: 1,426 million | United States of America: 335 million
People's Republic of China: 45,000 km | United States of America: 735 km
People's Republic of China: 22% | United States of America: 61%
People's Republic of China: 12.3 billion | United States of America: 5.0 billion
People's Republic of China: $4.7 trillion | United States of America: $2.1 trillion
People's Republic of China: 1,050 million | United States of America: 312 million
People's Republic of China: 2nd | United States of America: 1st
People's Republic of China: $23.8T | United States of America: $28.5T
Average Annual GDP Growth Rate (2024-2026)
People's Republic of China: 4.75% | United States of America: 2.25%
People's Republic of China: $17,000 | United States of America: $84,000
People's Republic of China: 920M | United States of America: 206M
People's Republic of China: 5G, renewables, EVs | United States of America: AI, semiconductors, cloud computing
People's Republic of China: 63% | United States of America: 82%
People's Republic of China: 1,570,000 | United States of America: 814,340
People's Republic of China: 12.3% | United States of America: 8.5%
People's Republic of China: 28% of global | United States of America: 16% of global
People's Republic of China: $17.8 trillion | United States of America: $27.4 trillion
People's Republic of China: $3.27 trillion | United States of America: $0.13 trillion
People's Republic of China: 1,700,000 | United States of America: 635,000
People's Republic of China: 4.2% | United States of America: 2.1%
People's Republic of China: 16.4% | United States of America: 26.3%
People's Republic of China: $163 billion | United States of America: $285 billion
People's Republic of China: 2.7% | United States of America: 59%
People's Republic of China: 77% | United States of America: 128%
People's Republic of China: $296B | United States of America: $820B
People's Republic of China: 76% | United States of America: 91%
People's Republic of China: $17.8T | United States of America: $27.4T
People's Republic of China: 1,430M | United States of America: 335 million
People's Republic of China: 0.796 | United States of America: 0.921
People's Republic of China: 78.2 | United States of America: 78.9 years
People's Republic of China: $612 billion | United States of America: $848 billion
People's Republic of China: 392 robots per 10k workers | United States of America: N/A
People's Republic of China: 60% | United States of America: N/A
People's Republic of China: 738,000 | United States of America: 605,000
People's Republic of China: N/A | United States of America: $27.6 trillion
People's Republic of China: N/A | United States of America: $821 billion
People's Republic of China: N/A | United States of America: 57
People's Republic of China: N/A | United States of America: 6,300
People's Republic of China: N/A | United States of America: Advanced semiconductors, AI, quantum computing, defense tech
People's Republic of China: N/A | United States of America: 9.8 million km²
People's Republic of China: N/A | United States of America: 36 people/sq mi
People's Republic of China: N/A | United States of America: $12,914 per capita
People's Republic of China: N/A | United States of America: 4.7 per 100k
People's Republic of China: N/A | United States of America: 0.41
People's Republic of China: N/A | United States of America: 1,290 thousand
People's Republic of China: N/A | United States of America: 1,770
People's Republic of China: N/A | United States of America: $27.4 trillion
People's Republic of China: N/A | United States of America: 6.3
People's Republic of China: N/A | United States of America: $11,945
People's Republic of China: N/A | United States of America: 2.1 billion
People's Republic of China: N/A | United States of America: 79.3 million
People's Republic of China: N/A | United States of America: 99.0%
People's Republic of China: N/A | United States of America: 4.1%
People's Republic of China: N/A | United States of America: $74,580
How to choose between People's Republic of China and United States of America
Compare People's Republic of China vs United States of America
People's Republic of China vs United States of America — Structured Comparison Data
Machine-readable comparison dataset for People's Republic of China vs United States of America. Contains 116 attribute comparisons, 5 FAQ pairs.
People's Republic of China vs United States of America — Attribute Category Vocabulary
Taxonomy of attribute categories used to classify comparison data for People's Republic of China vs United States of America.
The United States has a larger nominal GDP at $27.4 trillion (2024) compared to China's $17.8 trillion. However, by purchasing power parity (PPP), China's economy is larger at approximately $33.8 trillion vs the US's $27.7 trillion, making PPP comparisons important for cost-of-living adjusted analyses.
The United States is significantly wealthier per capita at $76,398 compared to China's $12,720 per person—a 6:1 ratio. This reflects differences in development stage, income distribution, and productivity levels across the entire population.
Which country has greater technological innovation capacity?
The United States maintains leadership in semiconductor design, AI development, and software, controlling 50% of advanced chip manufacturing capacity. China leads in manufacturing volume, battery production (60% of global supply), and renewable energy deployment, representing different innovation models rather than absolute superiority.
How do their military capabilities compare?
The US military budget of $820 billion is 2.7x larger than China's $296 billion (2024). The US operates 11 aircraft carrier strike groups vs China's 3, and maintains technological superiority in stealth platforms and precision weapons. China emphasizes asymmetric capabilities in hypersonic missiles and cyber warfare.
The US ranks higher on development indices: HDI of 0.921 vs China's 0.796, reflecting superior healthcare access, education quality, and living standards. However, China's development trajectory has been rapid, lifting 800 million from poverty since 1990, creating different comparative contexts (developed vs developing stage).
How to Choose Between People's Republic of China and United States of America
Total GDP (2024): People's Republic of China has $17.8 trillion, while United States of America has $27.4 trillion.
GDP Per Capita: People's Republic of China has $12,720, while United States of America has $76,398.
Military Spending (2024): People's Republic of China has $296 billion, while United States of America has $820 billion.
Population: People's Republic of China has 1.43 billion, while United States of America has 343 million.
Manufacturing Output (%): People's Republic of China has 28% of global, while United States of America has 16% of global.
Human Development Index (HDI): People's Republic of China has 0.796, while United States of America has 0.921.
Consider: Renewable Energy Capacity (GW)
Renewable Energy Capacity (GW): People's Republic of China has 1,854 GW, while United States of America has 707 GW.