Every day, people make purchases that feel like simple choices. It could be a phone upgrade, purchasing a new appliance, or even restoring a household item. While we may think that we are benefiting our country from such purchases and our purchasing behavior, most of these products are made overseas, and many come from China. On the surface, it is just a matter of price and availability. But behind each transaction, there is a strategic dominance we are unaware of.
The money spent on these goods does not just support factories and jobs in China. Instead, it flows into a system that funds surveillance, controls speech, and extends influence into other nations. It supports policies and practices that go against values many Americans believe in, fairness, transparency, and human rights.
Over time, this spending has helped build a powerful global player with growing control over international trade, infrastructure, and even digital platforms. China’s government uses its economic strength to invest in ports, highways, and data centers across the world. These projects are not just for profit. They are part of a broader strategy to increase control and shape global rules in ways that benefit its own model of governance.
This is what author Edouard Prisse explores in his book We Are Funding China’s Growth That Must Stop!. He makes the case that the current trade imbalance is not just an economic issue. Instead, it is a strategic mistake. When one country consistently sells more to another and buys less in return, it accumulates reserves. China now holds trillions in foreign reserves, and that money is used to expand its reach, both economically and politically.
Prisse points out that many people are unaware of this cycle. They do not see how small daily purchases can support a much larger system. They do not realize that trade policy affects not just jobs and factories but national strength and independence.
One of the core ideas in the book is the need for “Equal Trade.” This means that countries should only import from another country as much as they export to it in return. It does not mean ending trade or raising prices. It means creating a system that is balanced and fair, where no country gains too much power through constant surpluses.
This approach would also support local production. By making it easier for companies to invest in domestic factories, the U.S. could rebuild parts of its industrial base. That would mean more jobs, more stable supply chains, and less reliance on political rivals.
People often ask what they can do to make a difference. While policy changes are important, so is awareness. Consumers can start by asking questions about where their goods come from and what kind of systems they are supporting. They can support leaders who understand the full picture and who are willing to make long-term changes for the country’s benefit. If people value freedom, fairness, and independence, those values should be reflected in the way they spend money and the trade policies they support.
Read We Are Funding China’s Growth That Must Stop! to see how your choices connect to the bigger picture and what it will take to protect the future we want for us and for our future generations.
Here is a link to purchase: www.amazon.com/dp/1967963053.
We Were Funding China’s Growth That Must Stop! by Edouard Prisse is a sharp, well-researched examination of how decades of misguided free trade with China have fueled the rise of America’s greatest rival. Drawing on the economic insights of John Maynard Keynes, Prisse explains how the 2001 decision to welcome China into the global trade system created a one-sided relationship that drained Western industries while empowering Beijing’s authoritarian regime. The book not only exposes the dangers of this ongoing imbalance such as job losses, weakened manufacturing, and growing geopolitical risks, but also offers a clear solution: shifting from “free trade” to “Equal Trade,” a value-balanced system that ensures reciprocity and protects democracy. Both a warning and a roadmap, this book is essential reading for policymakers, business leaders, economists, and citizens who care about safeguarding the future of free societies.
