Maybe We Don’t Have to Be #1: Rethinking Strength, Competition, and What Really Makes a Nation Great
've been thinking a lot about the Trade Wars that President Trump has started, claiming that they will bring jobs back to America, but what I see are nations forging new relationships with other countries whose policies are more dependable. Once those relationships are formed, they are hard to break unless something significant happens. I predict it is happening in Canada. As Trump tries to bring that country into a subservient position, they are forming new relationships with the EU and with China. Let's work together.
Here are my thoughts on our trade wars and what is going to happen because of them. If you have thought about it, love to hear your comments.
We live in a world obsessed with competition. Nations compete for economic power, companies battle for market share, and politicians argue over who’s “winning.” Somewhere along the line, “being number one” became the only thing that mattered.
But maybe it’s time to ask: what if that mindset is actually holding us back?
Trade Wars and Missed Opportunities
Rather than working together, the United States and China have fallen into a pattern of trade wars, sanctions, and suspicion. The idea seems to be that if China grows stronger, America must grow weaker — as if the world’s economy were a zero-sum game.
But look around. We already import much of our goods from China — from electronics to clothing to basic household items. If you have a smartphone, odds are pretty good it was made in China. Trump has put a 100% tariff on Chinese cars for example, but what if China manufactures better electric cars? Why not let a limited number into the U.S. market and let consumers decide? That’s how competition is supposed to work. American automakers should see that as motivation to innovate, not a threat to be blocked. If China wants to sell more cars in the USA, make them here, including the supply line.
The goal shouldn’t be to hold others down. It should be to raise ourselves up. If foreign products push us to get better — great. If they make us rethink how we build things, train workers, and manage industries — even better.
China’s Rise Isn’t a Threat — It’s a Reality
Whether we like it or not, China will likely become the world’s top economic power in the years ahead. Not because of magic, but because they’ve built a system that focuses on long-term planning, education, and hard work.
They play the long game. The Chinese government sets strategic goals for decades ahead, and the population, driven by discipline and a strong work ethic, rallies around them. Students study longer, industries invest heavily, and the government supports sectors it wants to dominate — like electric vehicles, solar energy, and artificial intelligence.
Meanwhile, in the U.S., we struggle to agree on anything beyond the next election cycle. We bicker, delay, and protect the status quo. Our education system is falling behind, and our politics too often reward noise instead of vision.
China’s rise doesn’t mean America’s fall — it just means we have to decide who we want to be.
Learning From Each Other — Not Just Competing
One of the quiet success stories between the U.S. and China is education. Despite political tension, hundreds of thousands of young Chinese still choose to come to America to study.
In the 2023–24 academic year, about 277,400 Chinese students were enrolled in U.S. colleges and universities, roughly a quarter of all international students here. They come for opportunity, freedom, and curiosity about the American story. Many return home still admiring the U.S., even if they’re frustrated by how our system works.
By contrast, the number of Americans studying in China has dropped dramatically from around 11,000 in 2019 to fewer than 800 today. That’s a missed opportunity. How can we claim to understand or compete with a country if we’re not even willing to go there, learn their language, study their culture, and see their system firsthand?
The truth is, many Chinese citizens have a generally positive view of Americans. They see us as creative, generous, and full of potential, even if they think our politics are chaotic. They respect our freedom, but they also believe their country is more disciplined and purposeful.
We’d be wise to learn from that discipline. China’s focus on education, planning, and execution should challenge us to look in the mirror and ask what we’re prioritizing. If we can combine their long-term focus with our creativity and freedom, the result could be powerful.
Do We Always Have to Be in Competition?
That’s the real question. Must we always see every nation as a rival? There’s a world of difference between competition that drives improvement and competition that breeds fear.
If China excels at manufacturing or AI, that doesn’t destroy us. It gives us a chance to focus on what we do best, creativity, entrepreneurship, freedom, and innovation. We can still lead in ways that aren’t just measured in GDP or export volume.
Countries like Norway, Sweden, and Finland aren’t world superpowers, yet they consistently rank among the happiest nations on earth. Why? Because they focus on balance. They don’t have the vast gap between rich and poor that’s tearing many societies apart. They value fairness, stability, and well-being. They’ve figured out something that the rest of us keep missing: happiness is a form of strength too.
Maybe It’s Time for America to Redefine Strength
Being number one in everything isn’t the same as being truly strong. Strength can also mean wisdom, knowing when to cooperate, when to compete, and when to simply take care of your own people.
Instead of worrying about who dominates artificial intelligence, what if we worked with other countries to make sure AI is used ethically and safely? Instead of fighting over who sells more electric cars, what if we collaborated to make cleaner energy cheaper and more accessible for everyone?
True leadership doesn’t mean being on top of everyone else, it means using your influence to make the world better.
A Stronger, Happier America
Imagine if America focused less on measuring strength by military budgets or market dominance and more on building a society where families can thrive, healthcare is affordable, education inspires again, and work has dignity.
We could compete through excellence, not arrogance. We could lead by example instead of by fear. And maybe, just maybe, we could rediscover a kind of pride that doesn’t come from being “#1,” but from being a country that lives up to its values again.
The Bottom Line
It’s not naïve to believe in cooperation. It’s practical. The world is too interconnected for any nation to stand alone. If the U.S. and China both become economically stronger, both win. War or economic sabotage would cripple both, and by extension, the rest of the world.
So maybe it’s time we stop trying to control the scoreboard and start focusing on building a better team, a world where nations can compete and cooperate, where leadership means lifting others up, and where strength is measured not just by what we produce, but by how we live.
And President Trump, if this comes across your desk, I hope you take a moment and think about it and know that this Republican, who can no longer support your policies, has not stop praying for you; That God will grant you wisdom to discern right from wrong and what is truly best for this country.
As always your comments are welcome. If they contain hate though, they will be takend down.
Because in the end, a peaceful, prosperous, and balanced world isn’t just good for China or America — it’s good for everyone.
💬 Join the Conversation
Do you think cooperation makes a nation stronger than competition? Have your own perspective on how the U.S. and China could learn from each other? Share your thoughts in the comments below — and let’s start a real conversation about what leadership and strength should look like in the 21st century.