The "superpower" phrase is propagated by the US, intended to stir hatred among its population.
China has never claimed itself as "superpower", nor fond of this framing.
China is an antidote to the US - the sole superpower, which is capable of waging mixed warfare anywhere on the planet.
China doesn't claim itself as a superpower because it is not powerful enough to dominate the world right now and will probably get a lot of pushback and animosity from many countries if it threw its weight around. But it still needs to grow a lot economically and does not want the unwanted hostility.
US throws its weight around because its already on top in every way possible and it doesn't fear getting any pushback, cause no one else is willing push it back.
Example, Cuba blockade. Not a single sound from anyone despite a blatant violation of international law and sovereignity and naked aggression.
Just imagine if China blockaded a tiny neighbour. Let's say, Vietnam, a country that is not even an ally of the west. There will imediate media frenzy in the west that will blow up across the world to paint China as this big bad. There will be imediate sanctions on China from the west and likely China will be kicked out of things like Olympics.
That is the power of the western empire. That is the power of being on top without anything else to achieve.
China on the otherhand does not have any leeway to use its power without significant outcry from the west and also small countries who are not used to a powerful China. They will oppose it, in various ways.
That is the power of a world that is has already accepted a western domination. They are not used to a dominant China and are not willing to accept it without many fights.
As I said before, China has a long way to go before it becomes a true superpower that can impose its will on the world or its neighbourhood. It cannot even impose its will on its backyard because of the western domination.
