China Seeks to 'Displace' US Rather Than Replace It, Scholar Says

China's strategic objective during high-level negotiations with the United States is to diminish American global relevance rather than directly replace it as a superpower, according to analysis presented during discussions on the Trump-Xi summit.

Philippe Le Corre, a specialist on China-US relations, told France 24 that Beijing is focused on making itself more central to the world order by eroding US influence across multiple domains. This distinction reflects a longer-term Chinese strategy of gradual repositioning rather than head-to-head competition.

The assessment comes as the two powers engage in critical negotiations on trade, technology, and geopolitical issues with significant implications for global stability and European interests.