Data: Vast Gap in Industrial Strength between China and the U.S.

In 2023, China’s industrial output accounted for 35% of the global total, surpassing the combined output of the second to tenth-ranked countries. What does this mean?

It means that there is only one industrial country in the world.

In 2013, President Obama promoted American manufacturing at the Port of Miami, with the backdrop of the prominent Chinese heavy machinery company ZPMC.

Other industrial countries are all fake. They need the help of multiple countries just to build a ship, and they rely on global procurement for components worth $90,000 to manufacture an airplane. These countries even face shortages of nitrocellulose when engaging in warfare. Can they be called “industrial countries”?

When combined, the so-called G7 and G8 countries do not have a complete industrial supply chain like China’s. They also lack China’s abundant production capacity and diverse product lines. The world cannot achieve “globalization” without considering China.

An even more outrageous fact is that the world cannot maintain peace without China, let alone launch a “world war” without China’s presence.

China’s electricity generation is twice that of the United States, its steel production is 12.6 times that of the United States, and its cement production is 22 times that of the United States. The shipbuilding industry produces vessels with a total tonnage exceeding 50% of the global output. China’s automobile production has reached 30.2 million vehicles, three times that of the United States. We should be grateful for China’s moderation and compassion. What kind of scene would it be if this productivity were used to manufacture warships, fighter jets, missiles, shells, drones, and robots?

In the first five months of 2024, China’s total value of goods trade imports and exports reached 17.5 trillion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 6.3%. Among them, exports amounted to 9.95 trillion yuan, with a growth rate of 6.1%. Electrical and mechanical products accounted for nearly 60% of exports, with increased exports of automatic data processing equipment and components, integrated circuits, and automobiles. In the first five months, China’s exports of electrical and mechanical products reached 5.87 trillion yuan, an increase of 7.9%, accounting for 59% of the total export value. Among them, exports of automatic data processing equipment and components were 554.46 billion yuan, an increase of 9.9%; integrated circuits were 444.73 billion yuan, an increase of 25.5%; and automobiles were 329.7 billion yuan, an increase of 23.8%. Mobile phones were 329.68 billion yuan… Aren’t all these highly technologically advanced?

China’s production costs have reached the lowest point in history because every equipment, process, and component in the entire supply chain is self-owned. Mining, smelting, die-casting, forging, industrial machine tools, machinery manufacturing, automation control, semiconductor production, and intelligence are all in China’s hands. Coupled with unparalleled infrastructure development, convenient transportation, abundant power supply, and a nationwide industrial chain…

Within a single country, you can find affordable and high-quality suppliers everywhere. As long as you place an order, anything can be quickly produced for you. This is an extraordinary capability that no other country in the world dares to imagine.

This has resulted in China having the lowest prices for industrial goods worldwide. A phone case that costs a few yuan in China but in Europe, it could sell for 200 yuan!

A mid-range new energy vehicle priced around 70,000 to 80,000 yuan is a common sight in China. It has features like zero to 100 km/h acceleration in just over seven seconds, leather seats, reverse cameras, and intelligent devices. In the United States, such a product is simply beyond their imagination.

The low cost of industrial manufacturing indirectly leads to low costs in agricultural production. Agricultural machinery, irrigation, and fertilizers are available at almost no cost under large-scale industrialized farming. This has led to China’s consumption of fruits and vegetables surpassing the rest of the world, even surpassing the United States in protein supply. Chinese people abhor premade meals because they are accustomed to eating fresh meat and vegetables.

Many people refer to China as the “most powerful industrial Cthulhu in human history,” and this is not an exaggeration. Nowadays, a university student in China can build a drone, a reusable rocket, a manned small aircraft, or an electric car using components purchased from Taobao. Whatever bizarre idea you have, just search on Pinduoduo or Taobao, and you will find mature solutions. The mechanical dog purchased by the U.S. military can be bought on Taobao for 3,000 yuan. The mini paper shredder in the hands of the Israeli representative to the United Nations costs only a few yuan on Chinese shopping websites. The latest “bullskin disease” advertisement on the door of a public restroom is burned onto it using a handheld laser… Whatever strange thing you want, you can find a finished product in Huaqiangbei, Shenzhen, or in small workshops in Jiangsu and Zhejiang.

All the production routes have been explored by those entrepreneurial small business owners in towns and villages. In their eyes, it’s all the same—just a matter of modifying the drawings and parameters. They can set up an assembly line for you in three days and deliver the goods in a week.

I remember two years ago, some people were advocating for Western sanctions and industrial relocation, claiming that it would lead to China’s “deindustrialization.” They were also pinning their hopes on countries like Vietnam and India.

And now?

China’s industrial prowess requires not just people, but highly educated, skilled, hardworking, courageous, organized, and disciplined individuals. It also requires the foundational conditions to cover all fields from low-end to high-end.

Two years have passed, and China’s “deindustrialization” has transformed it into an unshakable industrial giant.

In reality, industrial upgrading has already been successful.

Let’s continue the fight for another 50 years and allow future generations to enjoy the happiness we have achieved through our struggles.