GZERO World Clips
Is the US in decline while China’s power grows?

Ian Explains: America Down, China Up | GZERO World

Who said last year that the biggest source of chaos in the present-day world is the US?
Not the leader of Russia. Not of North Korea. Not even of Iran.
It was Xi Jinping, who believes America poses a major risk for China.
The US feels the same about China. And while the two probably won't go to war anytime soon, ties remain tense. What's more, China has become so powerful that its political system is now accepted by all.
While China’s economic growth has been impressive, even during COVID, the pandemic has widened inequality and political divisions in the US. For Beijing, it's a sign that the East is rising as the West declines. Is it? Ian Bremmer takes a look.
Watch the GZERO World episode: Does China's rise have to mean America's decline?
Tune in on Saturday, February 14th at 12pm ET/6pm CET for the live premiere of our Global Stage from the 2026 Munich Security Conference, where our panel of experts takes aim at the latest global security challenges.
Think you know what's going on around the world? Here's your chance to prove it.
At the Munich Security Conference, the mood is clear: Europe no longer assumes the United States will lead. In this Quick Take, Ian Bremmer reports from Munich, where this year’s theme, “Under Destruction,” reflects growing anxiety that the US itself is destabilizing the transatlantic alliance it once anchored.
Every year, the Munich Security Conference, the world’s leading forum on international security, releases data that sheds light on how citizens view global risks.