I know what a trade deficit is, probably better than you. By “freer,” I’m talking about fewer barriers, less red tape, fewer regulations to start and grow a business, and more room to experiment with new ideas. In the U.S., there’s actually an “exit tax” for citizens with significant assets who want to renounce their citizenship and leave. That’s not exactly screaming freedom. If that still feels freer than China to you, fine, believe what you want.

Trade deficits played a role in helping China scale its manufacturing and assembly infrastructure, but their actual tech advancements didn’t come from that alone. You’re seeing new innovations pop up constantly and often at a fraction of the cost compared to U.S. R&D efforts. That didn’t come from central planning. It came from the freedom to iterate, cheap labor, and private sector hustle, despite the state’s involvement, not because of it.