Anna Ashton, a former China analyst at the US Department of Defense, said China is looking at a United States that has weakened its relationships with its allies and depleted a significant share of its weapons stockpiles. At the same time, Washington is seeking greater self-reliance in areas such as AI and drones but still needs critical resources from China and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future. Ashton said these factors are shifting the balance between the two countries, with China appearing to have the upper hand.