Thank you for your thoughtful comment. The key is alliances, and whether China or the US will succeed here. China has since 1979 had periods where they utilized soft power with great skill diplomatically. Even Xi did this well early on. It is possible for China to soften its posture if Trump is not re-elected or after 2024 if he wins in November. As you point out, the sweet spots will be parts of Europe, Africa, Latin America and SE Asia. The US has struggled w/r to soft power projection and that makes China’s job a bit easier.