Economic sanctions meant to curb China's rise may have had the opposite effect, according to former US Commerce Secretary Carlos M. Gutierrez. Speaking at the 2025 Boao Forum for Asia, he argued that US and European restrictions inadvertently turned China into a 'major technology power'. 💡
Gutierrez, who served under President George W. Bush, compared the sanctions to a 'video game boss fight that accidentally gives the hero power-ups'. 🎮 While intended to limit China's access to advanced tech, he claimed the measures pushed the country to innovate domestically, accelerating breakthroughs in AI, semiconductors, and green energy.
The remarks sparked debate at the forum, with analysts noting China's 15% year-on-year growth in tech patents since 2020. 📈 'Economic decoupling is a myth,' Gutierrez added. 'Our policies created new competition while harming global supply chains.'
Young professionals weighed in online, with one Shanghai-based entrepreneur tweeting: 'Sanctions taught us to build our own chips. Thanks, I guess? 😅' The discussion highlights growing questions about the effectiveness of trade wars in our interconnected world.
