Tom Friedman Thinks We’re Getting China Dangerously Wrong

Key takeaways

The prevailing view of China as an enemy is dangerous and rooted in an outdated understanding of its global role.
China has made significant advancements in technology and manufacturing that need to be recognized and understood by the U.S.
Isolationist policies, such as high tariffs, could ultimately harm American companies and weaken global alliances.
A new approach that fosters collaboration between the U.S. and China is essential for addressing global issues like AI and climate change.

Summary

The Unfolding Complexities of U.S.-China Relations

In this section, Tom Friedman discusses the current state of U.S.-China relations, challenging the mainstream belief that views China solely as a hostile adversary. He argues this perspective is outdated and dangerous, suggesting that understanding China's advancements in manufacturing and technology is crucial. Friedman emphasizes the need for the U.S. to recognize China as a formidable competitor that surpassed many of its capabilities. He expresses concern over the bipartisan consensus in Washington that overly simplifies the relationship as adversarial, risking escalation into hostility.

Evolving Technological Landscape

Friedman shares observations from his recent trip to China, noting significant progress in critical industries such as artificial intelligence, electric vehicles, and clean energy. He asserts that China's integration of AI into its economy and its digital infrastructure is shaping a new competitive landscape where they are outperforming the U.S. in innovation and manufacturing. By highlighting China's advancements, Friedman warns that America needs to reassess its strategies in technology and manufacturing to avoid getting 'steamrolled'.

The Dangers of Isolationism and Tariff Wars

In discussing tariff policies, Friedman critiques the Trump administration’s approach as fundamentally flawed. He asserts that although tariffs might seem like a viable solution to protect U.S. manufacturing, they do not provide a long-term strategy for growth and innovation. Instead, he advocates for a cooperative approach involving allies to engage with China regarding trade and technology, rather than alienating potential global partners. This isolationist stance may strengthen China's influence as the U.S. risks losing trust among other nations.

Imagining a Collaborative Future

Friedman emphasizes the necessity and potential benefits of collaboration between the U.S. and China. He argues that the long-term goal should be to establish a relationship based not on competition for dominance but on mutual prosperity. Citing the urgent need to address global challenges like climate change and AI governance, he believes collaboration is not just an option but a necessity for both nations to thrive and manage 21st-century issues effectively.

Show notes

My colleague Tom Friedman thinks we’re screwed.

That’s the first thing he told me when recounting his recent trip to China. It’s not just because of the trade war that President Trump is escalating right now. Friedman believes the whole Washington consensus on China — that the country is a hostile adversary — is dangerous and based on an outdated understanding of what China now is. He saw how China’s manufacturing and technology have advanced so far that in many ways it now surpasses the United States’.

In this conversation, Friedman walks me through the advancements he saw in some of the most critical fields of the coming decades — including A.I., E.V.s and clean energy. We discuss why he sees the current consensus as dangerous, what a different path might look like and what the United States should do to develop its domestic manufacturing so that we don’t “get steamrolled.”

This episode contains strong language.

Mentioned:

“I Just Saw the Future. It Was Not in America.” by Thomas L. Friedman

“China's overlapping tech-industrial ecosystems” by Kyle Chan

Genesis by Henry A. Kissinger, Eric Schmidt and Craig Mundie

Book Recommendations:

The works of Yuval Noah Harari

Thoughts? Guest suggestions? Email us at ezrakleinshow@nytimes.com.

You can find the transcript and more episodes of “The Ezra Klein Show” at nytimes.com/ezra-klein-podcast. Book recommendations from all our guests are listed at https://www.nytimes.com/article/ezra-klein-show-book-recs.

This episode of “The Ezra Klein Show” was produced by Rollin Hu. Fact-checking by Michelle Harris, with Mary Marge Locker and Kate Sinclair. Mixing by Isaac Jones, with Aman Sahota and Efim Shapiro. Our executive producer is Claire Gordon. The show’s production team also includes Marie Cascione, Annie Galvin, Elias Isquith, Marina King, Jan Kobal, Kristin Lin and Jack McCordick. Original music by Pat McCusker. Audience strategy by Kristina Samulewski and Shannon Busta. The director of New York Times Opinion Audio is Annie-Rose Strasser. And special thanks to Zoe Zongyuan Liu, Kyle Chan and Matt Sheehan.

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