Wow, I didn't expect this to get such a huge thread. Just wanted to add a few comments. Yes, I realized after I wrote it, the chief economist guy definitely di

Wow, I didn't expect this to get such a huge thread. Just wanted to add a few comments. Yes, I realized after I wrote it, the chief economist guy definitely didn't swim across the entire straits. He deliberately asked to be posted to Kimen or (maybe it was Quemoy), anyway they are very close to Xiamen on the mainland. Allegedly, he actually paddled by holding on floatation ballons or something. My comment about only going so far in the U.S. has more to do with the executive and political leadership roles in the U.S. and not about compensation (which is far higher in SV, though I am not sure how comp works at top SWE roles in China). Very few Chinese top performers make it to senior executive roles in the U.S. much less, much less the big chairs (CEO, board, etc). Also I was more talking about hardware talent then software. I think in terms of software the quality on the mainland is already quite good, at least in certain domains, but all the hardware comes from the U.S. if you think of NVIDIA or this semiconductor duke out, the weakness is hardware. So if you have "special hardware" talent you are feted like a debutante in China. Anyway, as someone who has been around the block a couple of times on both sides of the Pacific, I see no happy ending to the current situation. I have said this multiple times in other threads, we used to think economic engagement will turn the Chinese system more liberal but I think what is really happening is that it is turning the American one more authoritarian and state driven. If we look at the policies of the Trump administration against China, it's basically the type of economic statecraft China uses herself. So great, if you are anti-Chinese that's rich irony, but I think ultimately, there will be no winner and the process of fighting China will make America become just like China.