These activities will most likely be accompanied by cyber attack disrupt electricity, gas, water, transportation, health care and other public services. China showed ability then, even in Taiwanwhere it has conducted disinformation campaigns and in severe hacking incidents in the unified Statuses. Mr. Xi himself supported such a tactic of submission as a “magic weapon.”
China can also weaponize domination of supply chains and transportation. The impact on Americans will be profound.
The US economy is highly dependent on Chinese manufactured goods and resources, including much with military applicationsand American consumers rely on affordable Chinese-made imports everything from electronics to furniture to shoes. Much of this cargo is transported on ships along sea lanes increasingly controlled by China’s commercial interests that are ultimately the responsibility of China’s one-party state. A war would stop this trade (as well as US and allied shipments to China).
The supply of many U.S. products could soon run out, crippling many businesses. It may take several months to restore commerce and urgent allocation of some items is required. Inflation and unemployment will increase, especially during a period when the economy is being repurposed for the war effort, which may include some automakers turning to airplanes or other companies. Food processing shifts to priority pharmaceutical production. Stock exchanges in the United States and other countries may temporarily suspend trading because of enormous economic uncertainties.
The United States may be forced to confront the shocking realization that industrial power was instrumental in such victories in World War II – President Franklin Roosevelt’s concept of America as “the arsenal of democracy” – Have wither and surpassed by China.
China is now the world’s dominant industrial power by many measures. In the year 2004 US manufacturing output double China; By 2021, China’s output will be twice that of the United States. China produces more ships, Steel And smartphone than any other country and is a world leader in the production of chemicals, metals, heavy industrial equipment and electronics – the basic building blocks of the military-industrial economy.
It is important that the United States is no longer possible to surpass China in advanced weapons and other supplies needed in a war, as the current war in Ukraine has made clear. Supply military equipment to Kiev US stocks dry up of some important military system. Rebuilding them can take year. However, the war in Ukraine is relatively small compared to the possibility of a major war in the Indo-Pacific.
