The United States holds enduring strategic advantages over China due to its geography, energy independence, and stable demographics, while China grapples with population decline, internal geographic barriers, and resource vulnerabilities. AI, despite its promise, cannot compensate for shrinking workforces or declining fertility rates that now threaten economic stability worldwide. Aging populations are shifting political dynamics, fueling populism and weakening domestic markets in countries like China and Korea. Meanwhile, nuclear power and copper emerge as critical factors in the green transition, but challenges around infrastructure, mineral supply chains, and energy storage remain unresolved. Electric vehicles face environmental and logistical hurdles, especially where electricity comes from fossil fuels. Global conflicts like the war in Ukraine are accelerating military innovation, while geopolitical realignments see Mexico and Japan gaining strategic importance. Ultimately, the next era will be defined not by ideology but by access to energy, raw materials, and a viable workforce.