RICHARD FERNANDEZ: USA VS. CHINA. “That the contest is even close is testimony to how stagnant the West has become.” Plus: “The instinct for survival keeps Beijing from crushing the rebellious Hong Kongers. One wonders whether the complacent rulers of Western capitals are similarly constrained or whether they have been in power too long to feel threatened.”

Related: During all the Russia hacking hype, China is rising in influence: While Russia’s role in the 2016 election dominates the news, China’s spying and alarming influence within our borders is too little noticed.