U.S. President Joe Biden on Thursday said he would prevent China from passing the United States to become the most powerful country in the world, vowing to invest heavily to ensure America and its system of governance prevails as the leading model for the world. Biden said he had spent “hours upon hours” with Xi Jinping when he served as vice president under President Barack Obama, and was convinced the Chinese president believed autocracy—not democracy—held the key to the future. The Democratic president said he had made it clear to Xi that the United States was not looking for confrontation but would insist that China’s ruling communist party abide by international rules for fair competition and fair trade, and respect for human rights. “China has an overall goal … to become the leading country in the world, the wealthiest country in the world, and the most powerful country in the …