Chinese President Xi Jinping has spent several 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 would allow China to manage U.S. pressure while buying time to catch up. This strategy, described as a long-term and patient plan, is rooted in Xi's understanding of the Soviet collapse and Mao Zedong's concept of "strategic stalemate." As Xi ages and succession concerns grow, the Chinese Communist Party is expected to increasingly focus on domestic challenges. Despite Xi's consolidation of power, some analysts note a recent decline in his influence within the Chinese regime. The broader geopolitical context includes ongoing U.S.-China trade tensions and ideological competition between democratic and authoritarian systems.