China has 20 borders (14 on land and 6 on sea) and multiple border disputes with neighbors, and despite rapid military modernization, is geographically hemmed in by US military bases and Taiwan, while the US has vastly superior geography (Canada, Mexico, oceans) and unmatched global military reach.
factualpending
Speaker
Steven CodkinEvidence Quote
“They're completely hemmed in, right? They're hemmed in by US bases. Here, here, here... US if you're going to be a superpower which geography do you want that one or that one?”
Source
Stephen Kotkin: Sphere of Influence I - The Gift of Geopolitics: How Worlds are Made, and Unmade— IWMViennaCreated: 8/12/2026, 6:14:33 PM
My Notes
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