Really? it is maybe the fault of americans and their leaders themselves, first.
Like the Reaganism and all? Maybe. Or not.
No it´s nixon and his commie appeacement!
(sarcasm)
More sensible policies over the last 30 years and US would still be far ahead of China and not be in a mess.
But I´m a bit tired of this debt debate thing. China doesn´t own all US debt, they own a fraction of it. Most of US debt is owned by the US or entities within the US at least.
Secondly, China has many problems which are far worse than those facing the US.
Thirdly, US has 300 million people, China one billion and 300 million. Now consider that US is still the bigger economy... What does that mean for the average Chinese and his standard of living? Even if China would equal, nay, double the size of US economy, the middle class in US would still be better of than the one in China.
So trying to stay on top no matter what is immoral.
But as others have said, the acceptance of China was inevitable. If not Nixon, then Ford, or Reagan. (Carter might have had problems doing it being a democrat but still don´t rule it out).
A pod on an earlier thaw in relations or a later could be interesting.
Any good pod on a China avoiding the cultural revolution bullshit in the 60s and starting to capitalize earlier?