The issues these countries have are largely self-imposed. For example, China's struggles with international trade have a lot to do with their capital controls.

The issues these countries have are largely self-imposed. For example, China's struggles with international trade have a lot to do with their capital controls. Small countries would probably have an easier time of it because they can just trade however they like without having to mollify their own bureaucrats. The traders will figure it out. The threat of US intervention is real, but I wouldn't be certain about whether it gets more or less pressing for smaller countries. The US probably won't even notice what they are doing if they keep quiet enough. Oil trading would be a different story though.