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You might be reading this from outside China thinking, 'Communist China has no control over me,' but in reality, there's a strong possibility that the People's Republic of China plays a bigger role in your daily life than you realize.
While some individuals may be dealing with financial struggles from trade disputes or other political issues, the chances are that China affects your life constantly. These examples showcase how the Chinese have extended their reach into our world.
10. China Owns TikTok
Fact: TikTok Is Owned by China
TikTok, an app launched in 2017, has skyrocketed in popularity to become one of the top short-video social media platforms for young people worldwide. Even if you don't use it, you likely know many who do. And if you believe that an app like TikTok couldn't possibly influence the millennial generation across the globe, you might be unaware of TikTok's immense reach. By 2019, the app had been downloaded over 80 million times in the United States alone.
Because the app is owned and operated in China, the U.S. government has deemed it a national security risk following an investigation by the Peterson Institute for International Economics. Specifically, the app was found to track the locations and activities of Armed Forces personnel using TikTok. What's even more alarming is that the biometric data collected by the app is shared freely with the Chinese government, which has significant control over the country's cyber industry. If you're using the app, it's likely that someone in the Chinese government is aware of it.
9. China Owns Reddit
Fact: Reddit Functions as a Platform for Chinese Propaganda
Despite Reddit being an American company, it isn’t outside China’s influence. This became apparent when the site raised $300 million in February 2019 via stock sales, with Tencent Holdings Ltd., a Chinese internet giant, being one of its main investors. This sparked controversy among users, especially due to China's censorship policies, which block content deemed offensive or inflammatory. Among the censored material are videos of the Tiananmen Square protests and even images of Winnie the Pooh, after comparisons were made between the fictional bear and Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Reddit confirmed Tencent's investment of $150 million, and given China's dominance in both cyber defense and offense, it's no surprise that such a significant sum would come with an expectation of influence. China is known for its extensive propaganda efforts, and Reddit has become a hotspot for Chinese 'trolls,' often referred to as 'Chinabots.' Additionally, the subreddit 'The_Donald,' which supported the US president, was quarantined permanently, preventing it from spreading its influence. Meanwhile, pro-communist subreddits are left largely unmoderated.
8. China’s Dominance Over Hollywood
Fact: The Chinese Influence on American Cinema Is Driven by Profit Motives
If you've been noticing the recent trends in Hollywood action films, particularly with their constant presence of towering robots and explosive spectacles, this can be credited to the growing influence of the Chinese film market. While not as sinister as other instances of influence, there's no denying that Chinese moviegoers enjoy their fair share of bombastic action scenes, large-scale explosions, and intense combat sequences. While audiences in the West share these tastes, the European and American box office returns alone would never have sustained the production of over six Transformers films if they hadn't found such massive success in China.
Chinese viewers frequently account for the majority of a film's global audience, meaning Chinese money has become a driving force in the industry. Why would a production company pour millions into a film that may not appeal to American audiences when the same amount spent on a familiar action formula can bring in substantial profits in China? The straightforward answer is that they often don't. This explains why Michael Bay continues to make movies despite the lack of critical acclaim in the West. Chinese moviegoers flock to his films, and many others like them, ensuring that he can keep making more.
7. Rising Global Influence
Fact: China’s Rapid Rise as a Global Power
Since the fall of the Berlin Wall, the United States has been considered the world's only remaining superpower. China, however, is determined to join that elite group. Rather than using military force or political upheaval, China has risen to prominence through sheer determination and considerable financial investment. In 1990, China held just 2% of the global economy, but by 2014, that figure had surged to 13%, with no signs of slowing down.
By 2018, China had transformed its economy into the second largest in the world, trailing only behind the United States. Over the span of more than three decades, it surpassed nations like Italy, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, and Japan to claim this position, with a GDP of 13.6 trillion dollars in 2018. For the average American, this reality means that a significant portion of the country's debt is owned by China, and as such, some of the tax dollars paid by Americans are sent to the People's Republic of China in repayment.
6. The End of Free Speech
Truth: The Chinese Government Restricts American Free Speech
For most Americans, the 1st Amendment to the U.S. Constitution is a familiar concept, guaranteeing the right to free speech, among other freedoms. In late 2019, protests erupted in Hong Kong against growing Chinese influence, drawing global attention. Many Westerners expressed their support for the Hong Kong protesters and condemned the actions of the Chinese government through online comments and media interviews. As expected, the Chinese government responded harshly to these criticisms.
While China cannot directly dictate what an American citizen can express within the U.S., it has the power to limit the broadcast of NBA games within its own borders, leading to a significant loss of revenue for the professional sports league. This all began when Daryl Morey, the General Manager of the Houston Rockets, tweeted an image saying, 'Fight for Freedom. Stand for Hong Kong.' This sparked an immediate backlash from China. Initially, the NBA took China's side and issued an apology, which led to outrage from U.S. lawmakers. Ultimately, Morey's freedom of speech wasn’t restricted, but China’s influence on the NBA was evident.
5. Shifting Military Priorities
Truth: China’s Rise as a Superpower Has Redirected Western Military Attention
As China has emerged as a dominant force on the global economic stage, its rise has also caused ripples in military spending across the West. While the U.S. and China do not view each other as outright enemies, the potential for military rivalry in the Pacific remains a real concern. This is especially true due to China’s aggressive actions in expanding its territorial claims, including the creation of artificial islands in the South China Sea, which has raised tensions.
In the realm of defense, the U.S. didn’t develop advanced weapons like the F-22 Raptor or F-35 Lightning II to counter groups like ISIS. These cutting-edge military platforms are specifically designed to engage with adversary aircraft, with several others in the military’s arsenal kept under wraps. Increasingly, military drills and wargaming scenarios are involving China as a potential adversary. This shift in focus has led to higher defense costs. Presently, the U.S. spends about $680 billion on defense, while China’s defense budget is around $175 billion, and it’s expected to rise, pushing Western countries to adjust their own spending accordingly.
4. Essential Raw Materials
Truth: China Controls the Majority of the World’s Rare Earth Elements… And You Depend on Them!
Rare Earth elements are notoriously difficult to locate and process, yet they are crucial in the electronics sector. From the camera in your smartphone to the solar panels powering renewable energy, these elements are present in countless devices. China has an overwhelming monopoly on the extraction and refinement of these elements, producing more than 95% of the world's supply. This dominance gives China significant leverage over global industries reliant on these materials.
While the term 'rare earth elements' suggests scarcity, the reality is that they are found in limited deposits, making them tough to mine and even more challenging to process. In the early 2000s, the United States shut down its sole processing facility, and since then, demand has surged with advancements in electronics, high-performance aviation, and weapons systems. As long as China retains its hold on processing these critical elements, global dependence on the nation remains undeniable.
3. Chinese Cyber Hackers
Truth: Chinese Hackers Have Likely Targeted You at Least Once
When it comes to hackers, China has a distinct advantage over the United States and its European allies in terms of both numbers and skill. While the West focused on defense, China’s military quietly built a vast 'hacker army,' reportedly consisting of anywhere from 50,000 to 100,000 skilled cyber attackers. This army frequently compromises everything from corporate trade secrets to installing malware on popular apps used by millions.
It’s highly likely that your personal data has been compromised by Chinese hackers at some point, and there's little you can do to stop it. If you shop online or swipe your debit card at stores, your information has almost certainly been stolen in one of the countless data breaches. While hackers can come from anywhere in the world, a large percentage of these attacks are the work of Chinese cybercriminals honing their skills.
2. Google Surrenders to China
Truth: China’s Influence Over Google Could Become a Major Concern
Google has long stood as a champion of free speech, yet the company that played a pivotal role in shaping the modern Internet through its search engine and other services has gradually softened its stance when it comes to China. In May 2018, Google quietly removed a long-standing phrase from its corporate code of conduct, a phrase that had been part of the company’s ethos since 2000: 'Don’t be evil.' This shift suggests that Google might be veering down a darker path in its dealings with China.
For years, China has kept Google and its products locked behind the so-called 'Great Chinese Firewall,' but Google is eager to tap into one of the world’s largest and fastest-growing economies. To do so, Google has been working covertly to develop a censored version of its search engine, dubbed 'Dragonfly,' with the goal of securing a foothold in the Chinese market. The increasing influence of China on Google raises concerns, as it could influence search results in the West, posing a significant risk to Internet freedom. If this trend continues, China's 800 million+ internet users could offer the country a substantial advantage over the much smaller U.S. market.
1. The Made-in-China Phenomenon
Truth: A Vast Majority of the Products We Use Are Manufactured in China
There's a familiar joke in the U.S. that everything is 'made in China,' and while it's not entirely accurate, it comes pretty close. Increasing numbers of companies are relocating their manufacturing to China, primarily because labor there is inexpensive, abundant, and readily available. Western labor standards, including minimum wage laws and workers' rights, are often disregarded in favor of cheaper production costs, which means we can often buy goods for much less—unless they happen to be made in the USA.
Many of the consumer products we purchase are manufactured in the United States but assembled in China. This is a common label on products sold in the West. It's more cost-effective to ship parts to China, have Chinese workers assemble them, and then ship the final product back to the U.S. rather than manufacturing everything domestically. This process is used for a broad range of products, including one of the most notable—Apple's iPhone and most of its devices, which are assembled and/or produced in China. The takeaway: If you're using an iPhone right now, a nod of gratitude is due to the Chinese people and their government.
