[RightWhale]

they are not a stupid people!

No, they are average, nothing special, no Einsteins among them [not since they have a need to eliminated anyone with a brain.] They have the well-known tendency to move together as a whole society and they often change direction overnight, but at the moment they are going into outer space because all avenues of expansion on earth are closed. If they are successful in outer space, nothing will stop them, average joes though they are.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

China rediscovers technology***Some Chinese believe in their hearts that Chinese are really superior to Westerners in terms of basic abilities and see China's growing technological prowess as confirmation of these racial prejudices. Popular appeal is one reason why the Chinese government is able to invest vast sums in an ambitious space program, even though China faces immense social needs. Achievements in space exploration also allow the Chinese government to claim it is blotting out the past century of "humiliation" of China. ***

[Quix]

People are people the world over as extensive research has shown.

With 1.2 people to take the cream of the cream of the crop from--they are formidible.

IMHO, You are unwise to consider them ONLY or merely average.

Sure, the middle billion or so are by definition average.

If you think pitting the top 0.01% of 1.2 billion Chinese would be an easy thing for 0.01% of 300,000,000 americans to win out over--I think you are not thinking clearly about it.