The US economy remains larger by nominal GDP ($28.7 trillion vs $17.9 trillion in 2026), but China has grown faster in recent years and leads in manufacturing output and trade volume. The US maintains technological and financial market dominance, while China leads in industrial production and renewable energy capacity.
US vs China Economy 2026 — Side-by-side comparison on A Versus B
World's largest nominal economy with advanced technology and services sectors.
World's second-largest economy with rapid growth and dominant manufacturing base.
Nominal GDP (2026). GDP Growth Rate (2025-2026). Manufacturing Output. Global Trade Volume Share. Renewable Energy Capacity. Stock Market Capitalization. Per Capita Income
The US economy remains the world's largest and most financially dominant with superior per-capita income and capital markets, while China's economy grows faster and leads in manufacturing, industrial capacity, and renewable energy deployment. Choose the US if evaluating investment stability, consumption markets, and financial innovation; choose China if assessing production capacity, export potential, and long-term growth momentum.
United States Economy: $30.0-30.5 trillion | China Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 17% | China Economy: 70%
United States Economy: ~6% | China Economy: N/A
United States Economy: ~16% | China Economy: 35%
United States Economy: ~3.8-4.0% | China Economy: N/A
Advanced Semiconductor Market Leadership
United States Economy: Dominant (Intel, TSMC partnership, Samsung); controls cutting-edge nodes | China Economy: N/A
United States Economy: $30+ | China Economy: $17-18
United States Economy: 20-25% | China Economy: 70%
United States Economy: Global leader in design and manufacturing | China Economy: Limited by US export controls, advancing in AI adoption
United States Economy: Moderate exposure | China Economy: -0.5 to -2%
United States Economy: 2.2% | China Economy: 4.5-5.0%
United States Economy: $925.8 billion | China Economy: $296.5 billion
United States Economy: $4.18 trillion (2024) | China Economy: $620.1 billion
United States Economy: 0.3-0.5% | China Economy: 0.5-2.0%
United States Economy: 30.0+ | China Economy: $17.9
United States Economy: $4,175 billion | China Economy: $620 billion
United States Economy: $4,481 | China Economy: $525
United States Economy: ~20% | China Economy: 70%
United States Economy: 6% | China Economy: 82%
United States Economy: Leading edge (3nm and below) | China Economy: Restricted to 7nm+ (export controls)
United States Economy: Minimal negative impact | China Economy: -0.5 to -2.0%
United States Economy: ~10% | China Economy: ~80%
United States Economy: Leading in design and manufacturing | China Economy: Limited by US export controls
United States Economy: Minimal (exporter advantage) | China Economy: $400-800B reduction
United States Economy: 2.0-2.5% | China Economy: 4.6-4.8%
United States Economy: €925.8 billion | China Economy: €296.5 billion
United States Economy: 2.0-2.5% | China Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 25-30% of global EVs | China Economy: 70%
United States Economy: 8-10% | China Economy: 80%+
United States Economy: ~4.0% | China Economy: ~5.2%
United States Economy: $4,175,432 million (2024) | China Economy: N/A
United States Economy: €925,796.8 million | China Economy: N/A
United States Economy: $89,000 | China Economy: $13,500
United States Economy: $10,266.8 | China Economy: $5,708.7
United States Economy: $925.8 | China Economy: $296.5
United States Economy: Global market leader | China Economy: N/A
United States Economy: Lower exposure | China Economy: N/A
United States Economy: ~6% of global | China Economy: N/A
United States Economy: €925.8 billion | China Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 2.0-2.5% | China Economy: 4.5-5.0%
United States Economy: 6% | China Economy: 94%
United States Economy: Minimal | China Economy: 0.5-2.0%
United States Economy: 0.4-0.6% | China Economy: 0.2-0.3%
Lithium Iron Phosphate Battery Production
United States Economy: ~15% | China Economy: 94%
United States Economy: $89,000+ | China Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 9% | China Economy: 82%
United States Economy: 0.2-0.4pp | China Economy: 0.5-2.0pp
United States Economy: 0.3-0.5% (from AI investment) | China Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 2.2% | China Economy: 4.8%
Lithium Iron Phosphate Battery Production Share
United States Economy: 4% | China Economy: 94%
United States Economy: 15% | China Economy: 70%
United States Economy: 12% | China Economy: 80%
United States Economy: $50-150B | China Economy: $400-800B
United States Economy: $31.5 trillion | China Economy: $45.78 trillion
United States Economy: 2.1% | China Economy: 6.0%
United States Economy: 1st | China Economy: 2nd
United States Economy: 123% | China Economy: 84%
United States Economy: 345 million | China Economy: 1,420 million
United States Economy: $809 billion | China Economy: $680 billion
United States Economy: ~4.0% | China Economy: ~5.5%
United States Economy: AI, semiconductors, cloud, fintech | China Economy: EV manufacturing, 5G, solar, semiconductors
United States Economy: $35,000-45,000 | China Economy: $16,800 (119,800 yuan)
United States Economy: $94,430 | China Economy: $14,874
United States Economy: $11.1 trillion ahead | China Economy: $11.1 trillion behind
United States Economy: Data not available | China Economy: 5.0%
United States Economy: Data not available | China Economy: 6.1%
United States Economy: ~25-26% of global GDP | China Economy: ~16-17% of global GDP
United States Economy: Data not available | China Economy: 0.9% CPI
United States Economy: 1st | China Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 1st (maintained) | China Economy: N/A
United States Economy: ~1.8% | China Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 26.2% | China Economy: N/A
United States Economy: Not specified | China Economy: N/A
United States Economy: $28.0 trillion | China Economy: N/A
United States Economy: $85,000 | China Economy: N/A
United States Economy: $31 trillion | China Economy: $18.7 trillion
United States Economy: €10,217,935.3 million | China Economy: N/A
United States Economy: $3,981 | China Economy: €467
United States Economy: 44.5 | China Economy: N/A
United States Economy: ~2.8% | China Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 1 EUR = 1.1797 USD | China Economy: N/A
United States Economy: $32.38 trillion | China Economy: $20.85 trillion
United States Economy: 2.0-2.4% | China Economy: 3-4%
United States Economy: 2.0% | China Economy: Data not available
United States Economy: $96,500+ | China Economy: $14,800+
United States Economy: $11.53 trillion lead | China Economy: 36% smaller than US
United States Economy: $27.23 trillion | China Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 122.27% | China Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 37.74% | China Economy: N/A
United States Economy: $925.8 billion | China Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 3.5% | China Economy: N/A
United States Economy: $76,398 | China Economy: $12,720
United States Economy: 337 million | China Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 2.8% | China Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 11.8% | China Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 26.3% | China Economy: 14.3%
United States Economy: 38.5 years | China Economy: N/A
United States Economy: $27.4 trillion | China Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 4.2% | China Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 2.9% | China Economy: N/A
United States Economy: $156 billion | China Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 167 companies | China Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 11.2% | China Economy: N/A
United States Economy: $82,000 | China Economy: $12,700
United States Economy: $28.3 trillion | China Economy: $17.9 trillion
United States Economy: $86,400 | China Economy: $16,700
United States Economy: 2.5% | China Economy: 5.0%
United States Economy: $2.4 trillion | China Economy: N/A
United States Economy: $285 billion (2023) | China Economy: $163 billion
United States Economy: $82,500 | China Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 4.1% | China Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 123% | China Economy: N/A
United States Economy: $62,400 | China Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 339 million | China Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 65% | China Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 2.5% | China Economy: 4.8%
United States Economy: $81,000 | China Economy: $12,720
United States Economy: $0.13 trillion | China Economy: $3.24 trillion
United States Economy: 16% | China Economy: 28%
United States Economy: 123% | China Economy: 282%
United States Economy: $2.1 trillion | China Economy: $3.6 trillion
United States Economy: 3.5% | China Economy: $652 billion
United States Economy: 2.1% | China Economy: N/A
United States Economy: $76,398 | China Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 16.3% | China Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 123.5% | China Economy: 77%
United States Economy: $12.8 trillion | China Economy: $4.2 trillion
United States Economy: 340 million | China Economy: 1,420 million
United States Economy: 3.9% | China Economy: 5.1%
United States Economy: 31% | China Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 21% of electricity | China Economy: N/A
United States Economy: $28.7 trillion | China Economy: $17.9 trillion
United States Economy: 136 companies | China Economy: 142 companies
United States Economy: $2.1 trillion | China Economy: $3.8 trillion
United States Economy: $33.2 trillion | China Economy: $10.8 trillion
United States Economy: 2.1% | China Economy: 4.8%
United States Economy: 11.2% | China Economy: 28.4%
United States Economy: 80.1% | China Economy: 54.8%
United States Economy: $285 billion | China Economy: $163 billion
United States Economy: $31.2 trillion | China Economy: $22.8 trillion
United States Economy: 17% | China Economy: 28%
United States Economy: -$73 billion deficit | China Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 12% | China Economy: 28%
United States Economy: 4.0% | China Economy: 5.1%
United States Economy: -$773 billion (deficit) | China Economy: +$632 billion (surplus)
United States Economy: 129% | China Economy: 77%
United States Economy: $2.3T | China Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 2.5% | China Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 11.5% | China Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 123% | China Economy: 77%
United States Economy: $820 billion | China Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 625,000 | China Economy: 1,200 thousand
United States Economy: $27.4 trillion | China Economy: $28.3 trillion
United States Economy: 2.7% | China Economy: 5.0%
United States Economy: 8.2% | China Economy: 14.8%
United States Economy: $27.4 trillion | China Economy: $34.7 trillion
United States Economy: -$773 billion | China Economy: +$631 billion
United States Economy: $285 billion | China Economy: $189 billion
United States Economy: 2.5% | China Economy: 5.1%
United States Economy: -$773 billion deficit | China Economy: N/A
United States Economy: +0.4% (growing) | China Economy: N/A
United States Economy: $27.4 trillion | China Economy: $17.9 trillion
United States Economy: $2.3 trillion | China Economy: $4.1 trillion
United States Economy: 130% | China Economy: 77%
United States Economy: $60,500 | China Economy: $11,500
United States Economy: 0.38 million | China Economy: N/A
United States Economy: $809 billion | China Economy: $696 billion
United States Economy: 17% | China Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 9.8% | China Economy: N/A
United States Economy: $42.8 trillion | China Economy: $15.2 trillion
United States Economy: 16% | China Economy: 28.3%
United States Economy: $7.1 trillion | China Economy: $6.8 trillion
United States Economy: $27.4 trillion | China Economy: $23.5 trillion
Foreign Direct Investment Inflows (2024)
United States Economy: $269 billion | China Economy: N/A
United States Economy: $27.9 trillion | China Economy: $27.4 trillion
United States Economy: 63.0% | China Economy: N/A
Tech Sector Market Capitalization (Top 7 Companies)
United States Economy: $14.2 trillion | China Economy: $2.8 trillion
Average Annual GDP Growth Rate (2010-2023)
United States Economy: 2.4% | China Economy: 6.8%
United States Economy: $28.2 trillion | China Economy: $31.6 trillion
United States Economy: 26% of world GDP | China Economy: 16% of world GDP
United States Economy: 0.41 | China Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 17.3% | China Economy: N/A
United States Economy: -$773B | China Economy: N/A
United States Economy: 38.4 | China Economy: 38.8
United States Economy: 398,144 | China Economy: 687,231
United States Economy: 209 million | China Economy: 920 million
United States Economy: $12.4 trillion | China Economy: $3.8 trillion
United States Economy: 615,000 | China Economy: 1,820,000
United States Economy: 2.9% | China Economy: 0.2%
United States Economy: $0.13 trillion | China Economy: $3.2 trillion
United States Economy: 11.8% | China Economy: 28.4%
United States Economy: 415,000 | China Economy: 1,200,000
United States Economy: $42.3 trillion | China Economy: $8.7 trillion
United States Economy: $120,000 | China Economy: $38,000
United States Economy: $76,500 | China Economy: $12,800
United States Economy: 680 GW | China Economy: 1,480 GW
United States Economy: 8.2% | China Economy: 12.4%
United States Economy: N/A | China Economy: 4.2%
United States Economy: N/A | China Economy: $89 billion
United States Economy: N/A | China Economy: $163.5 billion
United States Economy: N/A | China Economy: 4.6-4.8%
United States Economy: N/A | China Economy: 80%+
United States Economy: N/A | China Economy: $400-800B
United States Economy: N/A | China Economy: $17.7 trillion
United States Economy: N/A | China Economy: 4.7%
United States Economy: N/A | China Economy: 80%
United States Economy: N/A | China Economy: Limited by US export controls
United States Economy: N/A | China Economy: $17.9 trillion
Foreign Direct Investment Inflows (Annual)
United States Economy: N/A | China Economy: 28% (diversified)
United States Economy: N/A | China Economy: $12,700
United States Economy: N/A | China Economy: 5.0%
United States Economy: N/A | China Economy: 5.1%
United States Economy: N/A | China Economy: 28%
United States Economy: N/A | China Economy: $189 billion
United States Economy: N/A | China Economy: 14%
United States Economy: N/A | China Economy: 282%
United States Economy: N/A | China Economy: +$631 billion (surplus)
United States Economy: N/A | China Economy: 8.7%
How to choose between United States Economy and China Economy
Compare United States Economy vs China Economy
US vs China Economy 2026 — Structured Comparison Data
Machine-readable comparison dataset for US vs China Economy 2026. Contains 241 attribute comparisons, 5 FAQ pairs.
Why is China's economy growing faster if the US economy is larger?
China's economy is growing from a smaller base with more room for expansion. The US economy, being mature and developed, naturally grows more slowly. China's 4.8% growth rate (2026) adds $860 billion annually, while the US's 2.1% growth adds $603 billion. Over decades, this difference compounds significantly, which is why some economists project China could eventually reach GDP parity with the US, though per-capita income gaps remain vast.
Does China produce more goods than the US?
Yes, significantly. China's manufacturing output of $4.1 trillion far exceeds the US's $2.3 trillion. China produces approximately 28% of global manufactured goods compared to the US's 17%. This includes dominance in electronics (71% of global smartphone production), textiles (26% of global output), and solar equipment (80% of panels). However, US manufacturing focuses on higher-value products like semiconductors, aerospace, and pharmaceuticals.
Which economy is more stable for long-term investment?
The US economy offers greater investment stability due to mature capital markets ($42.3 trillion market cap vs China's $8.7 trillion), rule of law, and transparent regulations. China offers higher growth potential but carries regulatory, geopolitical, and market access risks. Institutional investors typically allocate 60-70% of international exposure to US markets and 15-20% to China, reflecting the risk-return profile difference.
What is China's advantage in renewable energy and why does it matter?
China leads with 1,480 GW of renewable capacity versus the US's 680 GW, controlling 60% of global EV battery production and 80% of solar panel manufacturing. This creates supply chain dominance in the $2+ trillion global green energy market through 2026. It also positions China to dominate the transition to clean energy, reducing long-term energy import dependency while creating export opportunities.
How do trade relationships affect these economies?
China's 12.4% global trade share versus the US's 8.2% reflects China's role as the 'world's factory.' The US-China trade relationship remains critical but contentious, with 2026 tariffs averaging 19.3% on bilateral trade. China benefits from manufacturing exports ($1.2 trillion annually) while the US leads in services exports ($945 billion), intellectual property licensing, and financial services, creating interdependence despite geopolitical tensions.
How to Choose Between United States Economy and China Economy
Nominal GDP (2026): United States Economy has $28.7 trillion, while China Economy has $17.9 trillion.
GDP Growth Rate (2025-2026): United States Economy has 2.1%, while China Economy has 4.8%.
Manufacturing Output: United States Economy has $2.3 trillion, while China Economy has $4.1 trillion.
Global Trade Volume Share: United States Economy has 8.2%, while China Economy has 12.4%.
Renewable Energy Capacity: United States Economy has 680 GW, while China Economy has 1,480 GW.
Stock Market Capitalization: United States Economy has $42.3 trillion, while China Economy has $8.7 trillion.
Per Capita Income: United States Economy has $76,500, while China Economy has $12,800.