2 min read –
China-USA Trade War –
Looking at the last 24 years –
Says a lot about the winner –
A striking transformation is unfolding in global trade, and it’s painted in red.
The infographic attached shows the dramatic shift in trade dominance between the U.S. and China from 2000 to 2024.
At the turn of the millennium, 24 years ago, the U.S. was the top trading partner for the majority of the world (in blue).
Fast forward to 2024, and China (in red) has taken that position in most countries across Asia, Africa, Latin America, and even parts of Europe.
· In 2000, U.S. trade totaled $2 trillion, over 4x more than China’s $474 billion.
· By 2024, U.S. trade reached $5 trillion, while China surged to $6 trillion, growing over 1200% in just 24 years.
· China became the top trading partner for more than 120 countries.
While the West was and still is busy with wasting precious time and resources in self sabotaging activities (over-regulating, domestic political fighting, saving the planet, wokism, waging wars, protecting criminals more than victims, etc…), Asian countries were and still are building a prosperous future.
China’s expansion has been fueled by massive infrastructure investments, aggressive yet smart trade agreements, and a central role in global supply chains.
The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) for example, launched in 2013, further entrenched China’s influence, particularly in Asia and Africa.
Just look at the GDP growth rates in the last 5-10 years of India, Indonesia, Vietnam, and more.
Why this matters for Western exporters:
1. Asia is the world trade epicenter.
You can no longer afford to view Asia as a peripheral market. Countries like Indonesia, Vietnam, and India are growing and redefining global demand and consumption patterns.
2. Tariff wars reshape old certainties.
The ongoing U.S.-China trade tensions, marked by tariffs, export bans, and tech restrictions, have led many Asian countries to diversify partnerships. This presents a window of opportunity for you to step in as stable, trusted partners.
3. You need to be on the map.
With China dominating trade in so many regions, if you are not present in Asia you become irrelevant, because absent from the core of global commerce.
At CINTASIA, we help you unlock ASEAN’s potential, especially in dynamic, growing markets like Indonesia.
Understanding the geopolitics of trade is more than a strategy; it’s a survival imperative.
Asia is not the future; it is the present.
If you’re not exporting to Asia, you’re falling behind.
Talk to us, we can help.
We are CINTASIA, we bring your technology and industrial equipment to Indonesia and ASEAN.
PS: Asia has for decades, if not centuries, admired the West for their civilization, their achievements in technology, architecture, economics, culture, arts… But today Asia wonders WHY the West has declined so badly. That is an open question and a topic for another post. Stay Tuned!
Picture: econovis (dot) net
Source: Cintasia