GDP is not the best measure of how large an economy is doing. That was why I referenced Russia.
A joke to illustrate why:
Two economicists are walking down a sidewalk. They see a dog shit. One pays the other 20 dollars to eat it. A spectator asks in horror why the man ate dogshit. He says “I felt it was important to add 20 dollars to the GDP”.
China does indeed lead in manufacturing, but not in overall GDP. There is no guarantee they will retain that lead either.
Oh, I agree. At some point in the 22nd century a pan-african alliance will probably overtake them.