The ease with which China can disrupt our supply chain (in the short term) is precisely the point. Their theft of millitary and comercial secrets is another.

The ease with which China can disrupt our supply chain (in the short term) is precisely the point. Their theft of millitary and comercial secrets is another. China requires american companies selling or manufacturing in china to divulge secrets and implant chinese nationals (agents of the communist party) into said american companies so they can copy our technology and use state funds to begin competing chinese owned companies. This has hollowed out the American manufacturing base. Fewer qualified American engineers and workers means less military readiness, especially against threats China doesnt want us engaged with. Think Russia. This process also means that their military will both have a larger industrial base to support it, and better technology to arm it. The USA is not a tool for the Chinese to extract reasources and knowledge from. We worked hard to get where we are, and they are illegally piggybacking on us by stealing our intellectual property.