[aeriklawson]

Not going to happen. Maybe after half a century or more (I'd bet close to one hundred) assuming everything goes perfectly, but not even close in twenty - at most they'll be a very strong regional power and their sphere of influence will push the US further out of SEA (which is still heavily favoring the US as of today).

China's economy will probably be the most powerful in the next twenty years, but that's not nearly enough. People vastly underestimate how interconnected and influential the US is economically and militarily - the idea that the US will not be the world's dominant superpower for the next fifty years is click bait in the era of Trump.

We're also quickly increasing the number of unknown variables as the years go by - no one knows how or when the next financial crisis will play out in China, or the volatility of their governmental system - countries often do well until one day they don't. The same could be said about the US, but the country has proven itself to be incredibly stable thus far.

> 3rd world/developing countries and America's numerous enemies alike are lining up to ally themselves with China

As you mentioned, 3rd world - they are playing the long game, certainly longer than twenty years. The payoffs they are hoping for are fifty to one hundred years away (in Africa, etc.)