I think most the sabre rattling with china is just cover for the trade war the west has been bungling the last two decades.
After the USSR broke up , the west set up business in that whole sphere and made bank. We all sold currencies, land, national assets, even gave away our manufacture for a quick buck. The 90's and 2000's were all about 15% stock returns, cheap goods, easy mortgages,it was rejoicing throughout the land . We even invented a bunch of new fluff jobs to keep ourselves busy because we didnt need to actually make stuff anymore.
Then when the economy slowed down and russia started taking its territories back, the party ended. We were left with bloated workforces of dog shampooers and tree pyschologists competing against leaner hungry nations who own all the factories.
You dont need a crystal ball to figure this stuff out. The funniest thing is we wrote the rules to this war and even invited China to play in it.
