We should never have empowered China since Nixon’s visit. We’ve funded the menace they have become, we have funded their aggression in the South China Sea and their continued support of North Korea. Plus, of course, putting Americans out of work to instead employ millions of cheap Chinese laborers. What a different world we’d have today if we had not engaged them. Now, we have tremendous leverage. We should US IT!
Old quote from Lenin -- "The capitalists will sell us the rope with which we will hang them."
Free Trade is a misnomer. Economics is always an extension of politics. The marketplace has tremendous value -- but nation states must always be cognizant of the downstream effects of economic policy. If you allow a huge trade deficit with a dangerous foreign power, then you are certainly funding a menace. It's bad policy both politically and economically.
At the time Nixon opened dialog with the Chi-Coms,
it was to grow a middle class in China that would help purchase American goods.
So, how’d that work out?