Rubio: Globalization did not make the US change China, but instead let China change the US

Cai Shenkun: Both US parties have finally awakened from a great dream; it was China that changed the US 🇺🇸, not the US that changed China 🇨🇳. Both parties in the US established a "Select Committee on China," whose sole mission is to figure out how to deal with China. Surprisingly, the theme of the committee's first day of meetings was not discussing what methods to use to deal with China, but rather turning the blade inward—how to change America. The core view of the committee is: China becoming the United States' greatest challenge is not China's problem, but America's problem; it is the terribly flawed strategic line of the United States over the past thirty years that allowed China to become its greatest adversary. Therefore, as we sit here today discussing how to deal with China, the core issue does not lie with China, but within America itself. The prerequisite for us to deal with China is to thoroughly turn the blade inward and change America itself.

Let us listen together to some of the views expressed by Florida Senator Rubio:

"The greatest problem facing the world today is the increasingly fierce competition between the US and China. This is a historic challenge, and it took America far too long to realize this challenge."

"Yet I believe that when America focuses on the US-China competition, we should recognize that the most fundamental issue is not China at all, but America itself."

"The core issue is that for decades, the bipartisan consensus in America—a consensus deeply embedded in American economy and politics, firmly believing that globalization brings wealth and peace—became almost a national religion in the United States."

"America believed that once people, goods, and capital flowed freely across the globe, virtually all problems facing the world could be solved."

"This belief in globalization constructed America's political system and built the foundation of American foreign policy."

"Believe it or not, this set of views worked quite well in the 50 years following World War II; based on this view, America built a post-WWII Western free market."

"Countries like those in Western Europe and Japan, which prospered from ruins after WWII, all relied on this free-market concept in which America firmly believed."

"After these countries prospered, they in turn became crucial markets for the United States, which also sustained American prosperity—it was a virtuous cycle."

"And more importantly, through this virtuous cycle of free trade, America shaped the values of these nations, leading them to share the same values as the US and become steadfast American allies."

"Overall, during the 50 years after WWII—namely the period from 1945 to 1995—America's operating system of 'free trade, transmitting values' was successful."

"Then the Cold War ended, the Soviet Union collapsed, and presidents—and I say 'presidents' because this is a shared issue across presidents of both American parties—"

"These 'presidents' of ours became arrogant and haughty. I remember the popular phrase back then was 'the End of History': America defeated the Soviet Union, capitalism defeated communism."

"In the future, the whole world would become free capitalist countries like the United States, and economic liberalization would inevitably transform socialism."

"American presidents believed that as long as any country was immersed in capitalism, it would not only become prosperous but also become a friend of America."

"So these arrogant presidents began frantically supporting globalization, because they believed globalization meant spreading capitalism, and spreading capitalism meant America would continue to prosper. The US began signing a large number of trade agreements around the world, supported the formation of numerous international trade institutions, and formulated various free trade rules."

"The US wildly invited countries all over the world to participate in globalization, even if those countries did not share America's values, nor did they share America's long-term strategic goals."

"And among all the trade agreements supported by the United States, none has had a greater impact on today than supporting China's entry into the World Trade Organization in 2001."

"China was the most populous country at the time. America actively embraced China; the president did not do this because it benefited American workers, nor because of how much benefit America could gain."

"At that time, the only important reason America supported China's accession to the WTO was that America believed capitalism could change China."

"Even the Soviet Union was defeated by America, and America's system already dominated the world; changing China would be as easy as flipping a hand. Could China really be stronger than the Soviet Union?"

"It was precisely based on this arrogant perception that capitalism would inevitably change China that the US strongly supported China's entry into globalization. The president believed that as Chinese people ate Big Macs and drank Coca-Cola, they would gradually accept American values and become a true friend of America."

"Presidents firmly believed that capitalism could change China, but what has happened now? Over the past full 23 years, capitalism did not change China; on the contrary, China changed capitalism."

"Let me repeat: capitalism did not change China; China changed capitalism."

"America lost, we lost, let us bravely admit it!"

"China opened its doors and warmly welcomed America. China used cheap labor and manufacturing costs to attract an influx of foreign capital, and millions of American jobs, key American industries, and American factories moved into China en masse."

"American capital poured frantically into China to obtain astronomical returns, but what did American workers get?"

"American workers lost their jobs, factories shut down, towns were deserted, but American presidents still confidently told us: don't worry, the lost jobs aren't good jobs, they are low-end jobs, and these lost low-end positions will be replaced by better ones."

"Let low-end jobs go to China; American workers will have better jobs. And you should look at the long run: after America hands low-end jobs to China, the Chinese will be wealthier than before, and then the Chinese will buy American goods—they will buy American phones, watch American movies, eat American food, and they will be deeply influenced by American culture in every aspect."

"And then, they will transform from a socialist country into a capitalist-style friend of America."

"This was the fantasy of the presidents at the time, but today, without me saying more, everyone knows that this nonsense was never realized at all."

"Chinese manufacturing developed rapidly, China achieved immense success in every aspect, China became the world's factory, and the global industrial chain cannot do without China at all."

"Now look at the pathetic United States. I don't need to mention anything else—just look up the annual US-China trade volume, isn't it obvious?"

"In 2022, total US-China trade reached 692.6 billion USD, in which the US bought 538.8 billion USD of Chinese goods, and China bought 153.8 billion USD of American goods, with the deficit reaching a historic record of 385.0 billion USD." (Part 1)