Chinese President Xi Jinping has spent decades preparing for a prolonged strategic competition with the United States, drawing lessons from the Soviet Union's failures during the Cold War. His approach aims to avoid direct confrontation with the U.S., which currently holds economic and military advantages, and instead seeks a "strategic stalemate" or enduring equilibrium that makes U.S. pressure manageable while allowing China time to catch up. This strategy reflects a long-term vision rooted in historical understanding and is described as a comprehensive, measured plan to maintain China's interests amid ongoing tensions, including trade disputes under the Trump administration. Xi's approach contrasts with calls from more hardline elements within China's political leadership who favor a more immediate assertion of dominance. The strategy echoes Mao Zedong's concept of "strategic stalemate" and emphasizes a balanced, patient competition rather than outright conflict.