Zoltan Istvan stood in the 2016 presidential election on a transhumanist platform and is considering running again in 2020. Transhumanists believe humans can and should use technology to improve their natural capabilities. This could mean humans merging with machines to improve their intellect and other characteristics.
In particular Mr Istvan is worried the US and other western powers will fall behind China.
Speaking to Express.co.uk he said: “I’m not sure we can really compete against them, this is what a lot of my potential campaigns would be about.
“If America, and democracy, wants to survive we need to figure out a way to overtake China.
“We’re going to be eaten alive by China so we need to come up with a brand new system that takes them on and is able to compete otherwise in ten years you’re going to see a complete change.”
The transhumanist movement has been growing rapidly around the world in recent years.
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Political parties pushing transhumanist ideas have been registered in multiple countries, including the UK.
Mr Istvan suggested China could already be ahead of the west in developing the technologies transhumanists advocate.
He claimed: “China probably has a head start in the transhumanist agenda than America, because America’s slow, conservative and wants to vote for these things.
“Whereas China’s going to say if we can create super soldiers that allow us to have a military advantage, let us do it.”
Many transhumanists believe natural death can be eradicated by the technologies they advocate.
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These include nanotechnology, mind uploading and super artificial intelligence.
Mr Istvan argued it is essential the transhumanist revolution he believes will take place is led by democratic countries.
He said: “It’s so vital that transhumanism evolves in an environment where democracy thrives.
“If we are not careful we will wake up in thirty years and China will have babies that are five times smarter than the West, and that’s what happens when some people hold back and some people move forward.”