Over 2000 years in fact.

The Empire from 27 BC to 1453 AD. If you include the Republic and the Kingdom before the Empire (which you should, they're basically the same), it existed from 753 BC to 1453 AD. They were the most powerful nation in the world about half of that time, which okay is about a 1000 I guess .

Arguably no other country ever has been this succesful.

But anyway, China could be it though.

Spanning several dynasties and political forms they're basically ancient too, about as old now as the Romans were when they finally fell. So all they have to do is indeed to endure a little longer. Cranking up welfare and social conditions should be their number 1 goal. Their stellar economic growth in the last decade seems pretty amazing, but in reality they are still many sea-miles behind the West (meaning Western Europe, USA and other affiliates). They're aren't even in the same ballpark yet. I reckon it won't happen anytime soon, if ever, but if they keep up the growth in economy while improving their welfare and social services, they could truly become a Super Power. No need for anything drastic in this day and age, they already have more than enough (military) power to be able to prevent outside medling, but the 'tradional' conquering of lands wouldn't do anymore good. It's all about wealth.

Keep their economy going strong and everything should fall into place, that was ultimately the reason for the west's demise, because we sold out and got greedy. Arguably China's resources could make them very powerful indeed, i mean look at Russia and their gas or the Arab's and their oil, its made them powerful and will do the same for China while America and Europe's run out and fight over it

Send a man to the moon. Which they are working on. Forty years ago no one would have believed it since the only other country besides the US that was capable of doing it was the Soviet Union.

Brazil gets plenty of credit they get the next World Cup and summer Olymics which is a big deal.

they are already a super power but i never understood why someone wants to be a super power or part of it. i would rather live in a country like denmark no one cares about but still with a much better average life for everyone than usa or china will ever have. but i would say if a country has plenty of inhabitants you are automatically a super power if you have a good economy. if a country like india would have the gdp per capita of usa or similiar countries that would be an unbelievable huge economy.

Emirate/Caliphate Cordoba and the Franks probably outshined Constantinople in power and importance to Europe from the 700's into the the 12th century; a lot of history books seem to completely/conveniently forget the existence of entire Iberian peninsula, Middle East, and Africa until the crusades; which is kind of weird because most of the most educated Europeans of the second half of the first millenium were educated in the Caliphates and Emirates; especially in Cordoba, which had the largest library in history during the Golden Age.

Then I would say it was the Anjevin French and German Empire that were most powerful and influential - although, these forces did consider themselves to be the holders of the Roman throne until Voltaire or Gibbon, and certainly by Napoleon.

I like to think that the Gothic Empire under Theodoric (Essentially all of the Western Roman Empire, including the Ostrogothic Kingdom, the Visigoths, and loosely the Vandal Kingdom) was also more powerful than the Byzantines, although I can't prove it - it is just that I love this time period in history best, the time of the best legends of Europe =)

How can you say the USA isn't a superpower anymore? They are still the most powerful nation on earth. They have declined somewhat since the end of the cold war but without a doubt they still have the most influence on the world.

They need to go bomb the middle east.

To be taken seriously China must do several things.

1. Stop mistreating it's own people.
2. Stop protecting nations that mistreat their people.
3. Send as much aid around the world as the USA.
4. Stop artificially deflating the Yuan to appear economically stronger than it is.
5. Pass labor laws and outlaw child labor.
6. Stop bullying it's neighbor nations and laying claim to nearby independent sovereign nations.
7. Stop pumping pollutants into the air and dumping waste into the ocean.
8. Stop arresting political protesters.
9. Build a healthy tourism program.
10. Have as many or more nukes than the other super powers.

That last one is pretty important.

True, true. All true.

After the fall of the Western Empire, and especially after the rise of the Muslim faith and it's Kingdoms the power of the Eastern Empire fell very rapidly. Personally I always like to think that the Emperor Constantine was the one that made the one crucial error that doomed them; dividing the Empire and making Christianity the official faith. But still, it gives Rome basically from about 200 BC, when supremacy of the Mediterranean started, to 700 AD, start of the long and very slow decline of the Eastern Empire, as the dominant power in the world. And a few centuries before and after that as a major player.

Too bad the Goths were never really tested, and their only hint of their true power came from the Sacking of Rome and other military actions which basically brought down the already failing Western Empire. On the downside though, they did ruin almost all social institutions and structures the Romans established in Western Europe and doomed my ancestors to the so called Dark Ages.

Arguably during that period, up until the ages of discovery and enlightenment, Europe wasn't really the center of power in the world, even if most of the players didn't really know the others existed. I'm not sure what was, maybe China or Japan.

I agree strongly that this one of the most, if not the most, interesting period in world history. Probably why I like the Rome: Total War and Medieval II: Total War games so much! :D

But anyway, while interesting, this doesn't really have anything to do with China's (current) Super Power status anymore .