China trade tensions have drawn intense attention, business leaders who focus too narrowly on tariffs risk missing a deeper, longer-term shift. China’s economic strategy—centered on reducing dependence on foreign firms,

The US is no longer China's biggest export market: that spot now belongs to South East Asia. In fact China was the largest trading partner for 60 countries in 2023 - nearly twice as many as the US. The world's biggest exporter, it made a record surplus of $1tn at the end of 2024.