China's shadow stretches across the world, and amid this crisis work is ongoing to achieve strategic and economic goals.
Years ago we became aware that China was rising as an economic superpower, and that it would soon take over the top step of the developed nation's ladder as the largest economy on the planet. What did this mean to us at the time? Not much, except a new chain of stores was opening up, by an American company but with largely all Chinese goods. Walmart came about when the Walton family realized they could replicate their successful Walgreens pharmacies nation wide into retail stores offering household products, clothing, and a wide array of other goods including groceries. Their biggest aid was the price of the products and goods being delivered from China for far lower than domestic or even NAFTA partners Canada and Mexico. Mexico was gaining ground in this new Global economy, but seemingly EVERYTHING had Made in China tags or stamps.
Little did we know that by the winter of 2020 nearly 90% of all pharmaceuticals sold in the US markets are manufactured in China. Of course we know how they get these products made for so little money- their economy allows the average person to live off of far less per day than western nations. What was also made clear was the unlevel playing field. You may have heard this but wondered what made it this way?
The answer is distribution. China is able to distribute their goods worldwide through a massive shipping fleet operated by the state. A state-run shipping company gives Chinese producers the ability to compete overseas with no overhead shipping costs.
Military Hardware Leads China's Growth
China has grown up as a modern society. Until the late 60's, China was a closed, Mao-controlled society which had not grown with the world's modern development. It had the highest percentage of people living without modern amenities such as clean water, sewer and power. Since then, it has wizened up considerably. Modern Chinese officials have a wider outlook for their country now, and it seems that to be an equal partner with other nations is not the first notion, no it is to be the lead nation "as it rightfully should be". China derives it's name from it's origin of "the center" of the earth. Overcoming foreign obstacles takes up most of the time of the forces from China. They are at odds with their neighbors and have adversaries in the west as well.
An Audacious Plan
Part of the new strategy comes in the form of gentle persuasion combined with cunning placement of propaganda and strategic procurement. China owns many US bonds which we sold in previous decades. Winning the ambivalent people over takes persuasion and softening them up with propaganda, lies and manipulation. This allows expansion, investment, infiltration and ultimately: conquest.
This is a fascinating article from 2018
https://www.theguardian.com/news/2018/dec/07/china-plan-for-global-media-dominance-propaganda-xi-jinping
-katykarter
