The following is an imaginary diary entry written by US president. This diary is part of Global Trends 2025, which was written by the US National Intelligence Council
80
The <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 />US lead in highly skilled labor will likely narrow. China will begin to harvest more shares in investments in human capital, including education, nutrition and healthcare. India faces a challenge because top-flight educational institutions tend to satisfy a relatively advantaged few
81
The US will remain the single most important actor in 2025, but it will be less dominant. It will preserve its considerable military advantages, but its scientific and technological advances will slow. US policy is likely to be strongly determined by the developments in a number of key states, particularly China and Russia
82
Global wealth and economic power will shift from West to East. Brazil, Russia, India and China (BRIC) are picked as countries which could benefit. Rising oil and commodity prices will create large profits for the Gulf states and Russia. A shift in manufacturing and some service industries to Asia will enrich China and India
83
China is ready to have more impact on the world over the next two decades than any other country. If current trends persist, by 2025 China will have the world’s second largest economy, and its military will play an important role
84
The transition from old fuels to new will be slow, as will the development of new technologies that present feasible alternatives to fossil fuels or help eliminate food and water problems. All current technologies are inadequate, and new ones will probably not be commercially possible by 2025
