美國和中國大陸實力的對比：物質資源與國際形象

Comparing Capabilities of the US and the PRC: Material Resources and International Images

依據權力轉移論，經購買力平價調整後的國內生產毛額，居世界第一位的國家理應主導國際體系，並依自身利益擘劃國際秩序與規則。然而，在2017年即已擁有全球最大國內生產毛額的中國大陸，縱使在美國川普總統連續退出多個國際組織與合作機制後，仍未能成為制定規則的體系主導國。
本文引述國際貨幣基金組織、瑞典斯德哥爾摩國際和平研究所的資料，以敘述統計方式，點出美國在硬實力中的人均國內生產毛額與軍費這兩個項目仍遙遙領先。此外，中國大陸在2017-2018年時國際媒體形象雖優於川普執政初期的美國，卻在2019-2020年時急遽惡化。到了2020年，美國在印度、日本、德國、英國、法國的媒體形象都已優於中國大陸。這些重要國家在中國大陸和美國對峙的局面下傾向支持後者，使得美國在國際體系的主導地位在短期內還不會被中國大陸取代。

Power transition theory presumes that a country with the largest GDP (PPP) is supposed to dominate the international system and to establish rules and order by its interests. However, the People’s Republic of China (PRC) has not dominated the international system, although it has become the largest economy since the year 2017. This paper cites data from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) and utilizes descriptive statistics to illustrate the United States (US) still maintains clear advantages over the PRC in terms of GDP per capita and military expenditures. Moreover, the PRC once had better images on international media during the years 2017 and 2018. The Hong Kong issue and the spread of pandemics have seriously worsened the image of the PRC during the years 2019 and 2020. The US had better media images in India, Japan, Germany, United Kingdoms, and France in the year 2020. These major powers tend to side with the US rather than the PRC, so the US may still dominate the international system.