Yeah, that article is a bit... over positive, perhaps even verging on Hegsethian. Draws some very long bows both in how well things are going and for the interpretation of statements. “The US retains formidable economic strength and possesses unparalleled military power globally,” Zheng Yongnian, a Chinese political scientist who has advised the Chinese government at different levels, was quoted recently by the Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post. “Despite numerous issues within its political and social spheres, we absolutely must not underestimate America’s capabilities.” That statement essentially states that the analyst thinks the US is in decline- 'retains' is, after all, a term used for something that is diminishing, not increasing or being maintained at the same level. He doesn't say it specifically about the military, but then you can find plenty of US analysts who think China is catching up there even if the US is still a decent amount ahead.