Mosher argues that “strangulation” — the Reagan-era strategy that bankrupted the USSR via cutting financing, technology transfer, and out-producing it militarily — won’t work against China, since military buildup alone can’t bankrupt its economy. Instead, he proposes several steps. First, cut off China’s access to Western financing by delisting Chinese companies from US exchanges, since Chinese firms routinely overstate revenues and profits, often by 50 percent or more, defrauding American investors. Second, restrict the flow of advanced and militarily useful technology through stronger controls on espionage and tech transfer. Third, since China is resource-poor — only about 7 percent arable land, requiring imported food, oil, and raw materials — the US should maintain tariffs, reduce Chinese imports, and help third-world countries get better raw material deals than China offers, following Japan’s model of funding factory relocation out of China. Fourth, the US must prevent a renewed Sino-Soviet-style alliance; Mosher argues the Ukraine war has inadvertently pushed Russia and China back together, with China now the senior partner, combining its population and industrial base with Russia’s raw materials — a combination capable of dominating Mackinder’s “world island” and potentially the world. Fifth, the US should formalize the Quad (US, Japan, Australia, India) as an “Asian NATO” to contain China, cooperation already advancing even without strong US leadership. Finally, the US must help Taiwan — a de facto independent country — arm itself, since its fall would open the Pacific to Chinese naval expansion toward Hawaii, Guam, and the US west coast.
1 Why does Mosher argue that "strangulation" (the Reagan-era Soviet strategy) will not work against China?
2 Why does Mosher argue Chinese companies should be delisted from American stock exchanges?
3 What key economic vulnerability does Mosher identify in China?
4 According to Mosher, what has the Ukraine war inadvertently caused?
5 Which four countries does Mosher propose should formalize an "Asian NATO" (the Quad)?
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