East Asia's "involution war" Why is China, Japan and South Korea so hard? Who will break the game? Only China is the way out!
In this East Asian region, we struggle every day, but why do we feel more and more hard? Why do people in China, Japan and South Korea work so long hours, but it is difficult to enjoy the ease and prosperity of life? What causes this phenomenon of involution? How exactly do we break this dilemma?
First, let's look at the resource situation of East Asian countries. From Japan's oil and natural gas to iron ore, almost all of them need to be imported from foreign countries. Even Japan, an industrial powerhouse, has paid a high price for its dependence on foreign countries for energy. In countries such as China, South Korea, and even North Korea, the food self-sufficiency rate is not optimistic. This lack of resources directly leads to the disadvantage of East Asian countries in global competition.
Secondly, we need to look at the problem of the industrial chain. For a long time, East Asian countries have been undertaking low-end, labor-intensive work in the industrial chain. The position of Japan and South Korea in the industrial chain has always been dominated by European and American countries. Even as China continues to improve, it is still under sanctions and repression. In the tide of globalization, the labor of East Asian countries has only achieved high profits and comfortable life in Europe and the United States.
In addition to the lack of resources and industrial chain problems, this situation is also related to the unfair distribution of the global order. European and American countries have been dominating the world, while East Asian countries are in a lower position in the system. Historically, Japan has tried to surpass the United States in the semiconductor industry, but in the end it fell into involution due to external pressure. Today, China's progress in the semiconductor industry is also being suppressed by the United States.
However, only China will be able to break this dilemma. As an independent country, China has a huge land and population base. China's efforts are not only for the rise of the country, but also for the entire East Asian region to get rid of involution and strive for a fairer international order. China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has actively promoted cooperation with developing countries and demonstrated China's leadership in global affairs.
To sum up, the problem of involution in the East Asian region is rooted in the lack of resources, the low position of the industrial chain, and the unfairness of the global order. Only the rise of China can bring a new way out for the entire East Asian region. Through industrial upgrading and competition with Europe and the United States, China is expected to occupy a more important position on the global stage. This is not only China's own efforts, but also for the future of the entire East Asian region.