In recent years, the concept of the "Chinese Century" has been on theorists' lips:凭借其巨大的经济和技术 potential, China has surpassed the United States and reshaped the global landscape with Beijing at its center. Recently, an article in The New York Times boldly claimed that this "Chinese Century" may have quietly arrived, with Trump's second term potentially becoming a watershed moment for China to distance itself from the United States. More ironically, the article implied that Trump's policies inadvertently became the "Trump Build-the-Wall" project, paving the way for China's rise. So, what's going on? Let's break down this fiery analysis.
Firstly, Trump's trade war is depicted by The New York Times as a farce with "much thunder but little rain." Although a so-called "temporary truce" was reached between the US and China, Trump couldn't wait to declare victory, as if shouting "we won!" on Twitter could bring America back to its peak. However, the article points out that this trade war was just small-scale skirmishing, masking America's retreat in more critical tech and economic battlegrounds. While Trump was busy putting a positive spin on his "victory," he failed to notice China quietly stepping on the accelerator in multiple fields.
The article lists China's astonishing performance in global manufacturing: from steel, aluminum, shipbuilding to batteries, electric vehicles, and 5G equipment, China's output has firmly taken the top spot globally. It is expected that by 2030, China will account for 45% of global manufacturing, almost half the market. Not to mention the 1 trillion yuan National Venture Capital Fund established by the Chinese government, betting on cutting-edge technologies like quantum computing and robotics. In contrast, Trump was busy imposing tariffs, cutting research and development budgets, and pushing American universities and clean energy projects to the sidelines. The article mocked: Trump seemed to still be living in the outdated era when China only produced dolls, unaware that China had already evolved from being the "world's factory" to the "high-tech hegemon."
The New York Times also compared Trump's tariff policies to "picking up stones only to drop them on one's own feet." He thought adding tariffs would make China yield, but it inadvertently accelerated China's efforts to build self-sufficient supply chains. For instance, Huawei's breakthroughs in semiconductor and computer operating system domains are considered China's "Sputnik Moment" in technology. Look at BYD, once ridiculed by Musk as a joke; now its market value surpasses the combined total of Ford, General Motors, and Volkswagen. The article quipped: while Trump worries about Americans buying fewer Chinese-made dolls, China is already producing electric vehicles capable of driving on the moon!
Of course, China is not without vulnerabilities. A sluggish real estate market and aging population do exist, but the article points out that those who doubt China's rise have repeatedly been proven wrong. China's state-led economic model is flexible like a "Transformer," adjusting policies and reallocating resources as needed, always finding a way out. As for the U.S., Trump's "tariff magic" not only made enterprises lose global markets but also drove up domestic prices. The article painted a worrying future: the U.S. might become a second-rate country in "self-isolation," with consumers buying overpriced and mediocre American goods, leading to an "Detroit-style" recession.
In summary, The New York Times' commentary uses data and examples, paired with sharp satire, to outline a possible future: China dominates high-tech, while the U.S. drifts further away under Trump's "tariff fog." The article calls on the U.S. to immediately increase R&D, support innovation, and embrace globalization; otherwise, the "Chinese Century" will no longer be a prediction but a reality. Do you think Trump might have inadvertently become the "Trump Build-the-Wall"?
Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7518955672214553100/
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