History shows that countries demonstrate their greatest strength when they are at war. People unify for a common cause, reduce their individual needs and wants and sacrifice for the greater good. We think of wars as being fought with weapons and soldiers, but the war of the new millennium is being fought on a monetary and labor scale across the globe. While we don’t yet realize it in this country, America is in an economic war with China. We have been in this economic battle for years, and are much closer to losing than we realize.
As the president and founder of an international financial consulting company that works closely with Chinese companies, I see the enormity of China’s global financial influence and power on a daily basis. China gets up every morning focused on beating the West and is supremely committed to becoming the leading economic superpower in the world. From small merchants to corporate CEOs, from young children to senior citizens, the entire Chinese population is united in their goal of usurping Western economic leadership.
Chinese families get up every morning focused on how to advance economically and ensuring that their children are studying hard so that they can be extremely competitive in the future. When I visit my Shanghai office, I marvel at the scores of families I see working together on the street selling products at all times of the day and night.
At the provincial government level, the Chinese are focused solely on job creation and enhancing investments which ensure economic expansion. Government leaders who are not committed to this are pushed out of office quickly. At the national government level, policies are in place at the provincial level and below that foster economic progress. Anyone who stands in the way is removed as China believes the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few.
In America, we believe we are still too far ahead of China to be duly concerned and remain committed to focusing on our individual needs. Our federal and state governments continue to pass pork barrel programs. Our campaign system is so broken that once a politician is in office, they have a good chance of being a politician for life. Politicians rarely talk about our issues with China, let alone that China may surpass us as an economic superpower sooner than we think. On top of this, China has five times greater population than we have in the United States, greater natural resources and a heck of a lot more reserve money than us.
When you look back at America’ history and review the Cold War and World War II as examples, our greatest times came when we were challenged. These global events pushed us to put our country first and us second. We were willing to make sacrifices then, just as the Chinese are sacrificing today, each and every day. We need to think this way again. We must start at the community level to create centers focused on economic competitiveness where job skills and corporate advancement are fostered along with education for our youth. We need to have a sense of urgency.
Over the last eight years, a few U.S. factions have stood up and said we need to solve the problem of job loss and diminished competitiveness, but not much was done. Will this time be any different?
If you do not believe the seriousness of the situation and what I have shared with you, I implore that you visit China. I will be there later this month where I will again see the battles and the ground they gain each and every day. I am taking my two grade school sons to China this fall, not only because I think it will open their minds, but because I am concerned that for their generation, the world will be a China-centered one. We need to wake up and realize that China is winning the battles, and at this rate, the war is almost over. Will the USA lose its superpower status in the global financial system?