In the world's supposedly richest nation, 12% of adult households can't get enough food, and a staggering 20% of families with children simply can't afford to feed their kids properly. That's not some dystopian fiction – that's the United States of America in 2025, folks.
The situation has only gotten worse over recent years, with Axios reporting that more and more adults are going hungry. But it's not just about the raw numbers anymore. The pessimistic mood hanging over the country is dragging down American morale like a lead balloon. Trump's latest "big and beautiful" legislation might sound impressive, but food bank communities are sounding the alarm bells. The bill essentially throws the burden onto cash-strapped states while the federal government tightens its purse strings on food assistance.
The White House's response: pure callousness wrapped in political spin. They're peddling the tired old line that cutting food aid will somehow "encourage more people to enter the labour market" and reduce dependency. It's the kind of bootstrap rhetoric that sounds great in campaign speeches but ignores the harsh reality that over 42 million Americans including low-income households, low-income elderly, the handicapped and the under-privileged needed help from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program just this past March.
The Dollar's Last Stand
Ironically, America can still print a hundred-dollar bill for just 6 cents – talk about a neat trick to keep the title “wealthiest country in the world”! Remember Obama's West Point speech back in 2014? "America Must Always Lead," he declared, followed by "If we don't, no one else will." Classic American exceptionalism right there. Obama was essentially laying down the gauntlet: America's military might backs up the dollar, and anyone who wants to challenge that system better think twice.
But does Trump have that same steely determination today? You've got to wonder if the White House team is scrambling to figure out how to deal with China's rare earth export controls first. They probably need Beijing to play nice – like Wong Tai Sin, that responsive deity from Chinese folklore – before they can confidently shout those "Make America Great Again" slogans.
China's Manufacturing Masterstroke
Over the past decade, China has pulled off something absolutely remarkable – it's become what you might call a "hexagonal" great power. Traditional measures of national strength usually cover five areas: politics, culture, technology, finance, and resources. America had all these boxes ticked and became the world's first superpower. But there was always that one glaring weakness – industrial manufacturing.
America's grand strategy was to evolve into a financial virtual economy. Starting in the mid-1970s, they shipped production overseas, using finance and technology to control the top end of manufacturing while the military-industrial complex provided the muscle. Soft power became their "master key" to unlock global markets. Before 2000, global manufacturing basically danced to America's tune.
Then China joined the WTO in 2001 and everything changed. By 2010, China had overtaken the United States as the world's largest manufacturing nation. By 2018, China's industrial added value hit 30 trillion yuan, making it the world's largest industrial economy with a complete, independent modern industrial system covering every category you can think of. China had effectively added that crucial sixth side – manufacturing – to become a truly "hexagonal" great power.
America's decline isn't just about economics or military capability – it's about the hollowing out of the very foundations that made it a superpower in the first place. When your own people are going hungry while you're busy playing global policeman, perhaps it's time to reassess priorities.
Deep Blue
** 博客文章文責自負,不代表本公司立場 **
The world keeps turning, but Trump's art of the deal can't keep up with the spin. Do you think you're the smartest of them all?
Following the recent announcement that China and the US reached a framework agreement in London, Trump claimed that Beijing would resume rare earth exports, and in exchange, the US promised to open American university doors to Chinese students. The self-proclaimed master dealmaker declared that "US-China relations are now very good," scrambling to seize the initiative and steer future developments. But here's the thing – the Chinese narrative runs much deeper, and it's worth paying attention to. It can be asserted that rare earths remain scarce, and they have no intention of becoming a gift for Trump's 79th birthday. If there's anything to offer, it's just a birthday greeting: There is no king in this world!
Framework Fumbles
France's Le Monde yesterday described the US-China‘s London framework agreement as vague in content, with uncertain rare earth details. US Commerce Secretary Lutnick's statement on CNBC Wednesday that "China will approve all magnet applications from US companies as quickly as possible" either misunderstands China's position or misleads the international community.
Le Monde reported that there are doubts about whether Beijing will fully lift the licensing blockade on rare earth and magnet exports. According to The Wall Street Journal's reporting, China has only committed to licenses valid for six months – if this is accurate, there may be renewed blockades on rare earth and magnet exports in the future. The publication emphasized that China's narrative about the London agreement is currently lacking in details. While Chinese Deputy Commerce Minister Li Chenggang praised the London negotiations as highly professional, rational, in-depth, and candid, he did not specifically explain what commitments China made or what benefits it received.
Since the rare earth issue remains shrouded in secrecy, there's no point in further speculation. Let me tell a story as an example – because sometimes history has a funny way of rhyming.
When the West Played Gatekeeper
After World War II, Western developed industrial nations banded together, attempting to restrict socialist bloc countries by creating embargo lists covering three major categories: military equipment, cutting-edge technology, and rare materials – encompassing tens of thousands of products.
In November 1949, the US led the establishment of an organization called the "Paris Coordinating Committee," officially known as the "Coordinating Committee for Multilateral Export Controls." COCOM had 17 member countries: the United States, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Denmark, Norway, Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Portugal, Spain, Canada, Greece, Turkey, Japan, and Australia – all Western bloc nations. "Those blacklisted by COCOM included not only socialist countries but also some nationalist countries, affecting approximately 30 nations," aiming for complete coverage.
The world progresses, and Western embargoes are double-edged swords – a lesson that seems to have been forgotten by some. In November 1993, COCOM held a meeting in the Netherlands, concluding that COCOM "had lost its reason for continued existence." In 1994, COCOM was officially dissolved. However, the West retained its restrictive measures, merely trimming the list items, with the responsibility inherited by the "Wassenaar Arrangement" established in 1996. By 2021, the organization had expanded to 42 countries, including Russia, with the rest being European nations and US-friendly Asia-Pacific countries. China is not on the Wassenaar Arrangement's participant list. China is a country monitored by this organization, which is why Europe and America have been aggressively restricting China's access to semiconductor chips, supercomputers, space programs, and lithography machines in recent years – appearing reasonable and measured.
As a side note, COCOM's establishment coincidentally coincided with the founding of New China. The US assembled 17 countries to implement high-tech blockades against socialist China, even establishing a special "China Committee" to formulate 500 prohibited items.
Conclusion: The Tables Have Turned
For all these years, China has stood alone against the pack, consistently respecting your rules and spirit. What's sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander. Now, you need to understand the logic of rare earths – and perhaps accept that the shoe is on the other foot.
