Tom Friedman

Those five are so fit that they can then go global at a price and level of innovation that is very hard for a foreign competitor to deal with, which is why China today basically controls the global solar panel market. But what you also don't see is that process of winnowing down from 100 of those solar panel companies to five.

Those five are so fit that they can then go global at a price and level of innovation that is very hard for a foreign competitor to deal with, which is why China today basically controls the global solar panel market. But what you also don't see is that process of winnowing down from 100 of those solar panel companies to five.

produced a massive explosion of supply chains domestically to feed that industry. Same thing went on with cars. You know, the same thing goes on with robots. And so where you end up five years later is with interlocking set of supply chains that now if you're a young Chinese and say, I just got this idea.

produced a massive explosion of supply chains domestically to feed that industry. Same thing went on with cars. You know, the same thing goes on with robots. And so where you end up five years later is with interlocking set of supply chains that now if you're a young Chinese and say, I just got this idea.

I want to produce a shirt that has a pink polka dot button that can sing the Chinese national anthem backward. Someone will have it for you tomorrow.

I want to produce a shirt that has a pink polka dot button that can sing the Chinese national anthem backward. Someone will have it for you tomorrow.

It's a very good point, and I'll give you a perfect example of that. So there was – Ford Motor today has built a battery factory in Marshall, Michigan. using the IRA money from the Biden administration. That factory makes batteries for EVs. The technology, though, comes from China. It's a company called CATL. That CATL technology was actually born in America in the Obama administration.

It's a very good point, and I'll give you a perfect example of that. So there was – Ford Motor today has built a battery factory in Marshall, Michigan. using the IRA money from the Biden administration. That factory makes batteries for EVs. The technology, though, comes from China. It's a company called CATL. That CATL technology was actually born in America in the Obama administration.

People tried to scale it here then. They failed. The founders, basically, it went into bankruptcy, and a Chinese entrepreneur bought it, took it back to China, scaled it there, and is now doing tech transfer to Ford, bringing it back here. It's a perfect example of what you're talking about, the lack of patience.

People tried to scale it here then. They failed. The founders, basically, it went into bankruptcy, and a Chinese entrepreneur bought it, took it back to China, scaled it there, and is now doing tech transfer to Ford, bringing it back here. It's a perfect example of what you're talking about, the lack of patience.

Let me back into your question, Ezra, by just giving you my worldview, how I think of this whole China issue. I think that the net result of where we are as a world in terms of development right now, and call this the post-post-Cold War era, is the humanity faces basically three existential questions. One is how we manage artificial general intelligence.

Let me back into your question, Ezra, by just giving you my worldview, how I think of this whole China issue. I think that the net result of where we are as a world in terms of development right now, and call this the post-post-Cold War era, is the humanity faces basically three existential questions. One is how we manage artificial general intelligence.

And we are going to have to find a way to collaborate to make sure we get the best and cushion the worst out of what is going to be a new species. That's number one. Second, as a product of our development, we have unleashed a level of climate change. that we have to collaborate in order to deal with.

And we are going to have to find a way to collaborate to make sure we get the best and cushion the worst out of what is going to be a new species. That's number one. Second, as a product of our development, we have unleashed a level of climate change. that we have to collaborate in order to deal with.

And thirdly, I believe the combination of all these stresses is going to blow up a lot of states, a lot of weak states, and you're going to have zones of disorder. You already see that in some parts of the world. My view is there are only two superpowers who can manage this, but only if they collaborate, the United States and China. They can learn that early or they can learn that late.

And thirdly, I believe the combination of all these stresses is going to blow up a lot of states, a lot of weak states, and you're going to have zones of disorder. You already see that in some parts of the world. My view is there are only two superpowers who can manage this, but only if they collaborate, the United States and China. They can learn that early or they can learn that late.

They can learn that painlessly or painfully. But my view is they're gonna have to learn that. And so for me, liking China, not liking China, it's just not in my equation. That is the world I think we're going into. I also think we're going into a world where I think of a kind of industrial ecosystem.

They can learn that painlessly or painfully. But my view is they're gonna have to learn that. And so for me, liking China, not liking China, it's just not in my equation. That is the world I think we're going into. I also think we're going into a world where I think of a kind of industrial ecosystem.

So I was born into the late industrial revolution where the ecosystem to thrive as a country was coal, steel, aluminum, combustion engines, and combustion-driven vehicles, and electricity. And you had to be playing in all of those industries to thrive.

So I was born into the late industrial revolution where the ecosystem to thrive as a country was coal, steel, aluminum, combustion engines, and combustion-driven vehicles, and electricity. And you had to be playing in all of those industries to thrive.