I point in reply, not so far back in world history, to the singularly meaningful phrase:
“Arsenal of Democracy”.
With the reminder, not only does the PRC now have our once-world history’s most formidable, leading edge factories.
China also has 5 times our working-(military) age population. Our technology. Our industry. And trillions of dollars of our money.
But you just keep on whistling: “Don’t worry, be happy”.
Maybe some mice will follow you.
You have a terribly irrational fear of China. It sounds like it springs from believing only fear mongering, probably largely union stuff where trade is concerned, arguments and not seeing the big picture. Have you been to China? Anywhere in Asia?
First, China is 1.3 billion people - of course as they modernize they will grow more powerful militarily. With that economic and military strength they will look to assert themselves and you can see that fairly dramatic effect on some of the foreign policy decisions made by its neighbors. Once China dumped their communist economic system, there was no possible way for the United States to stop this. The only thing we can do is help manage it. India is on largely the same trajectory - only India is doing it in a slower but probably sounder manner. Second, China is a house of cards. China has extremely serious economic problems it is papering over, but it is very possible the next great "crash" will be in China. They need us, FAR more than we need them. Also, political change is coming to China, and when the people one day assert themselves and force out the ruling "communists in name only", the entire situation will look completely different.
Back in the 80's we were told we were "turning Japanese" and we had to fear the Japanese government/business partnership. One lost decade later and no one talks that way anymore. We're also told from time to time we need to emulate the German industrial engine. Just as recently as a few months ago. Now that German economic activity has ground to a complete halt (in spite of benefiting from a weak Euro), I somehow doubt we'll be hearing that for awhile.
We have the means to make this country more competitive. We can do it through our own tax policies, we can do it by cutting regulation and getting government off the backs of business, and we can do it by launching an energy independence drive that taps this nations wealth of resources (that alone would create a boom the likes we have not seen for decades - and put a lot of blue collar folks to work as a result).