> The US is also, essentially, entirely energy self-sufficient, with Canada's help. Something China is nowhere near being. The US could shut off China's access to foreign oil and a lot of coal supply very easily and it would grind up their economy.
China can import as much energy as it wants from Central Asia and Russia, it chooses not to because Saudi oil is cheaper.
China also is not as dependent on fossil fuels, due to extensive rail links between their major cities. Its just convenient to use jet planes, also the CCP actively wants to create a Boeing alternative.
If we do end up in a situation that becomes an existential threat to CCP:
- China would aggressively dump US treasuries.
- China stops exporting rare earths that even the US military depends on.
- China starts importing Iranian crude ( providing navy escort ).
- Chinese nationals are forced to sell their holdings in the US.
All of these things would cause a major financial crisis in the US, the Baby Boomers do not have the stomach for it and would vote Trump right out.
Anyway, you are right, the US doesn't depend on trade.
But 44% of US corporate sales happens overseas. A shutdown of global trade would be quite bad for the Chinese, but it would be worse for the "richest nation on earth".
> This is the fundamental mistake China made by keeping its economy so restricted and locked down to foreign companies. Most of the US economy doesn't have a critical dependency on China.
Why should the Chinese open their economy to US companies without getting something big in return ? US firms are not entitled to free access to anything outside their borders.
We know what Facebook, Google can do to a country, it's better for humanity if US companies are not given completely access to every market.
China can import as much energy as it wants from Central Asia and Russia, it chooses not to because Saudi oil is cheaper.
China also is not as dependent on fossil fuels, due to extensive rail links between their major cities. Its just convenient to use jet planes, also the CCP actively wants to create a Boeing alternative.
If we do end up in a situation that becomes an existential threat to CCP:
- China would aggressively dump US treasuries.
- China stops exporting rare earths that even the US military depends on.
- China starts importing Iranian crude ( providing navy escort ).
- Chinese nationals are forced to sell their holdings in the US.
All of these things would cause a major financial crisis in the US, the Baby Boomers do not have the stomach for it and would vote Trump right out.
Anyway, you are right, the US doesn't depend on trade.
But 44% of US corporate sales happens overseas. A shutdown of global trade would be quite bad for the Chinese, but it would be worse for the "richest nation on earth".
> This is the fundamental mistake China made by keeping its economy so restricted and locked down to foreign companies. Most of the US economy doesn't have a critical dependency on China.
Why should the Chinese open their economy to US companies without getting something big in return ? US firms are not entitled to free access to anything outside their borders.
We know what Facebook, Google can do to a country, it's better for humanity if US companies are not given completely access to every market.