Water

The U.S. has 45% of all the freshwater in the world and approximately 4.22% of the world’s population. In the U.S., approximately 35% of the land in the lower 48 states is classified as arid or semi-arid. This includes regions like the Great Basin (most of Nevada, half of Utah, and sections of Idaho, Wyoming, Oregon, and California), parts of the Southwest, and the Great Plains. The hydrographic Great Basin is a 200,000 square mile area that drains internally. All precipitation in the region evaporates, sinks underground or flows into lakes (mostly saline). Creeks, streams, or rivers have no outlet to either the Gulf of Mexico or the Pacific Ocean. Specifically, the region is bounded by the Wasatch Mountains to the east, the Sierra Nevada to the west, and the Snake River plain to the north. The south rim is less distinct. The Great Salt Lake, Pyramid Lake, and the Humboldt Sink are in this area. Humboldt Sink is located in northwestern Nevada, on the border between Pershing and Churchill counties, approximately 50 miles (80 km) northeast of Reno and between the West Humboldt Range (to the southeast) and the Trinity Range (to the northwest). It should be noted that the Great Plains region, considered semi-arid but heavily agricultural, relies almost entirely on fossil water from the Ogallala Aquifer, currently experiencing depletion. It is estimated that significant parts may be unable to support irrigation possibly within 50 years. The Texas State Water Plan predicts that water levels in the Ogallala will decline by 52% before 2060. Parts of western Kansas are already dry. If fully drained, the aquifer could take thousands of years to refill naturally. According to studies from Stanford University and others, up to 40% of Ogallala will be unable to support irrigated crop production within the next 80 years. To put this in perspective, the Ogallala Aquifer region is responsible for approximately 30% of all US. Crop and livestock production. Therefore, in 80 years, barring mitigating action, the U.S. will have to import that much. That will exacerbate the trade deficit.

China has 6% of the world’s freshwater resources and approximately 20% of the global population; in addition, its per capita water availability is significantly lower than the global average. Approximately 52.2% of China is classified as arid or semi-arid. Of that, approximately of 83% is concentrated in Northwest China, a region that includes Shaanxi, Gansu, Ningxia, Qinghai, Xinjian, and central and western parts of Inner Mongolia. These regions are particularly vulnerable to global climate change. The northern rim of the Himalayas, often referred to as the “Himalayan Rim”, is largely situated within the Tibet Autonomous Region of China. The Trans-Himalaya (also known as the Gagdise-Nyenchen Tanglha), is a mountain range located north of the main Himalayas, primarily within China, India, and Nepal. This region is characterized by the Tibetan Plateau and various other mountain ranges.

The distribution of water and population density in both countries is strikingly similar; roughly their eastern halves are much wetter with a corresponding higher population density. The difference is that China does not have a western ocean (the U.S. does, the Pacific) which severely reduces options to reduce the water shortage.   

Religion

China is a country with diverse religious practices. However, Buddhism is considered the largest officially recognized religion. In addition, a blend of Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism, collectively termed Chinese folk religion, exists. A substantial portion of the population identifies as non-religious or atheist. Christianity, Islam, and other religions are minority faiths. Buddhism is a non-theistic religion, meaning it doesn’t believe in a creator God. Similarly, in Taoism there is no single, monotheistic God.

In the U.S., 62% of U.S. adults identify as Christian; of those, approximately 40% identify as Protestant, and 19% identify as Catholic. Judaism accounts for 2%, Islam, Buddhism and Hinduism account for 1% each. However, fully 29% of the population identifies as religiously unaffiliated. Thus, a majority of the population identifies as monotheistic. In the U.S., while the exact phrase “separation of church and state” does not appear in the Constitution, the First Amendment’s Establishment Clause prohibits Congress from making laws respecting an establishment of religion. The Supreme Court has referred to this as creating a “wall of separation” between church and state. In practical terms, this means the government cannot require religions to promote, support, or oppose political points of view, i.e., praising or swearing allegiance to ruling political leaders in lieu of God. More to the point, the government has no role in appointing religious leaders such as bishops, rabbis and imams, who all play a role in guiding their respective communities in matters of faith and practice.

Similarities

Both:

• Are determined to make their nation great again.
• View each other as the principal competitor and adversary.
• Are proud of their potential and achievements.
• Are pursuing sweeping, domestic changes.
• Their population density is much higher on the eastern portion of their respective territories.
• Rely on nationalist propaganda to frustrate each other’s efforts and uproot domestic corruption.