It is easy to believe that buying a phone, a piece of furniture, or a simple household item is just part of everyday life. You need something, you find it at a good price, and you make the purchase. But there is a bigger story behind those decisions, especially when those items come from China. What looks like a routine purchase is also part of a system that helps fund the growth of a global power.
Every time Americans buy a product made in China, a portion of that money leaves the country and helps build up the Chinese economy. This money does not just stay in Chinese businesses. It adds to a growing surplus of funds that the Chinese government uses to strengthen its influence around the world.
The United States imports much more from China than it exports. That trade imbalance leads to a large and ongoing transfer of wealth. In simple terms, China is selling a lot more to us than we are selling to them. The result is that China ends up with more money to spend. And what they are spending it on is shaping the future of global power.
Edouard Prisse outlines this in his book We Are Funding China’s Growth That Must Stop!. He explains how this money is used for more than just building factories or creating jobs. It is being used to finance infrastructure in other countries, such as ports, highways, and telecommunications networks. These projects help China gain political and economic influence far beyond its borders.
China also uses the trade surplus to support its industries. State-owned companies can operate even when they are not profitable because they receive government support. This gives them an advantage over American and European businesses that must compete in open markets without help from the government. In the long run, this makes it harder for local businesses to survive and grow.
The money also flows into military development and high-tech innovation. While other countries reduce spending, China is increasing its ability to control data, space, and strategic industries. Much of this expansion has been funded by trade profits that started with ordinary consumer purchases.
So how did we get here? Part of it is habit. Consumers often buy what is affordable and available. Companies often move production where costs are lowest. Governments prefer to avoid making changes that may seem risky or unpopular. All of this leads to a system where the same imbalance continues year after year.
But understanding this cycle gives us the chance to do something about it. Prisse proposes Equal Trade as a solution. This means matching the value of imports to the value of exports. If we buy more from China than we sell to them, we need to either reduce those purchases or increase our exports. This approach does not stop trade. It simply makes sure it is fair and sustainable.
The key is not to blame anyone. The point is to recognize that the current system is not balanced and that it creates long-term problems. We do not have to stop buying altogether. But we should understand what each purchase supports.
Trade is not just about prices. It is about direction. When money moves one way, power often moves with it. If we want to protect our industries, our values, and our independence, we need to take a closer look at what our dollars are funding.
Read We Are Funding China’s Growth That Must Stop! to see how small choices connect to global outcomes and why now is the time to shift the balance.
We Were Funding China’s Growth That Must Stop! by Edouard Prisse is a sharp, well-researched examination of how decades of misguided free trade with China have fueled the rise of America’s greatest rival. Drawing on the economic insights of John Maynard Keynes, Prisse explains how the 2001 decision to welcome China into the global trade system created a one-sided relationship that drained Western industries while empowering Beijing’s authoritarian regime. The book not only exposes the dangers of this ongoing imbalance—job losses, weakened manufacturing, and growing geopolitical risks—but also offers a clear solution: shifting from “free trade” to “Equal Trade,” a value-balanced system that ensures reciprocity and protects democracy. Both a warning and a roadmap, this book is essential reading for policymakers, business leaders, economists, and citizens who care about safeguarding the future of free societies.