Charting Eight Measure of Power: The U.S. vs. China 💪

What We’re Showing

This graphic compares the U.S. and China across eight key measures of power, based on analysis from Ray Dalio’s Great Powers Index 2024.

Methodology

For the analysis, Dalio identified eight core pillars that underlie a nation's strength.

Scores were measured using z-scores, which tells you how far a data point is from the average, using the typical amount of variation in the data as a measuring stick:

• Z-score of 0 = data point is at the average
• Z-score of 1 = data point is one standard deviation above the average

Key Takeaways

• The U.S. maintains unmatched dominance in global capital markets, with its reserve currency status showing no signs of being surpassed soon
• China’s influence in international trade has grown substantially, now being the top trading partner for 120 countries worldwide
• While America is home to the world’s largest tech giants, China is quickly amassing intellectual property in new industries such as semiconductors, electric vehicles, and advanced manufacturing