Tom Bilyeu

China's name literally means central state or middle country.

This term dates back over 3,000 years, initially referring to the central plains of the Yellow River Valley, the cradle of early Chinese civilization.

surrounded by less civilized peripheral tribes.

Historically, it reflected a Sinocentric worldview.

China as the cultural, political, and moral center of the world.

Surrounding regions were seen as tributaries or barbarians, paying homage through a hierarchical system where the Chinese emperor embodied universal authority.

It was more cultural and political than strictly geographical, emphasizing China's superiority in civilization, not literal centrality on a global map.

And China is now a peer competitor to the US, making good on that promise.

They are a nation that is using its power with increased fervor all around the world.

Not only are they building a gold corridor in South America as a part of a larger plan to create a gold-backed rival to the US dollar, but they've also taken over ports at both ends of the Panama Canal, creating a dangerous choke point for US military and trade movements.

To anyone that believes we're still in the neoliberal kumbaya peaceful world order, China's moves probably look innocent enough.

But if you put their moves in their rightful context of being a geopolitical chess match between two great powers who are on a collision course, suddenly everything takes on a far more ominous tone.

Remember, 12 out of the last 16 times a declining power like the US and a rising power like China have come into conflict, war has been the result.

75% of the time, war is what happens.

So the US cannot afford to continue to turn a blind eye to the strategic maneuverings of their most powerful rival.

From that perspective, the invasion of Venezuela is not impulsive.

It doesn't make it any more comforting.

But doing nothing is not an option, not when there's so much at stake.

Washington has decided that the cost of inaction is now greater than the risk of reasserting its power in a world where global trust and cooperation is once again being divided between two great powers.

What the US has done is going to have global consequences.