I get the distinct impression that they don't really care what the per capita GDP of China and India are, they're xenophobic towards India and scared to death of China, so they think it's safer if these countries remain impoverished.
They think free trade is a zero sum game. If China and India is better off, then the US must, ipso facto, be worse off.
I get the distinct impression that they don't really care what the per capita GDP of China and India are, they're xenophobic towards India and scared to death of China, so they think it's safer if these countries remain impoverished. I think you're right. Would they be worried if it was Switzerland that was running the trade surplus with us? Probably not.
No doubt, China is dangerous. We may come to regret their rapid growth, or it may contribute to the fall of their Communist masters.
Would a democratic China be as scary? Probably not.
Like the old Chinese curse, "May you live in interesting times"