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I suppose Americans think that the Western nations have ALWAYS dominated the industry and science of the world. A more accurate perception would be that we've come into our own while China has been voluntarily hamstringing itself for the last half-millenium. After all, in the fifteenth century, the Chinese were poised to take over the world in the same way that the Europeans would do just a few decades later, big trans-oceanic ships and all. We, the Westerners, simply don't KNOW what it's like to live in a world with a pro-active, dynamic, innovative China. Well... we DIDN'T know. Now we do.
Nothing truly new here. China is the nation that's invented paper, printing, gunpowder, rockets and magnetic compass, so it shouldn't be a surprise that they're kicking butt yet again. The subject of discussion should rather be their recently ended half-millennium of stagnation and what should WE do in order to not fall into the same hole.
