If there is a war in the Taiwan Sea, we will freeze China. $3.2 trillionForeign exchange reserves! "
In the smoke of the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, when Western countries tasted the sweetheads of "financial nuclear weapons", Russia 300 billion eurosAfter the overseas assets of the United States were frozen overnight, this threatening remark began to circulate repeatedly in the mouths of American hawkish politicians.
This seems to be a "lore" move, enough to instantly shock the economy and paralyze the society of any modern country The ultimate punch.。
However, they seem to forget that there is also a silent player sitting on the Eastern table.When the opponent thinks they are holding and preparing to unlock the bottom of the card, the Chinese are also holding a pair in their hands that is enough to turn the card instantly. "King Bomb"。
The problem is when it comes to finance. "Virtual nuclear bomb" meets the "physical lock" of the industrial chainWho will fall first?
The "Self-Detonation Switch" of the "Financial Nuclear Bomb": A Practical Lesson in Russia
Freezing overseas assets of a sovereign country, which was unimaginable in the past, was not only a violation of the most basic international law, but also a deadly blow to the credibility of the global financial system.
However, in the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, the United States and its European allies, without hesitation, pressed this button.
This is unprecedented. Although "national robbery" has caused great difficulties to Russia in the short term, in the medium and long term, it has become a "seven-injured fist" against the hegemony of the US dollar itself.- Injuring the enemy a thousand, self-damaging eight hundred, and even more.
Why? Because it has taught all countries in the world the most vivid and cruel practical lesson with practical actions: your money in American and European banks, Not your money at allIt is only temporarily preserved by you, and may at any time be because of “political incorrectness.” Confiscated "hostages"。
The so-called “sacred inviolability of private property” and the so-called “neutral financial infrastructure” became a joke overnight.
What happened to Russia shocked the whole world, especially the vast number of countries in the "Global South", into a cold sweat. They began to think crazily about the same question: What if one day, the United States no longer likes me?
And then a global swing. “Dollarization”The wave began irreversibly. Central banks are selling U.S. debt in favor of hoarding more reliable physical gold.
Dealing with a Russia whose economy is far from the same magnitude as its own has caused such a severe backlash. If we use the same means against China, the world's largest trading country, the largest industrial country, and ten times its worth, it will be tantamount to detonating the entire Western financial system. “Self exploding”。
The first "King Bang": shaking up the rare-earth lock throat of "industrial vitamins"
If freezing assets is a "bad card" that hurts others and oneself, then the first "king bomb" in China's hands is a one that can accurately hit the vital points of opponents without any tricks Physical String—— Rare earth。
When many people hear "rare earth", they think it is some kind of "soil". This is precisely the biggest misunderstanding.
Rare earth, not soil at all, it is the general name of 17 metal elements. It is not the "food" of industry, but the modern high-tech industry, especially the cutting-edge military industry, is indispensable. "Industrial Vitamins"Without it, you can hardly build any modern high-tech equipment.
And in this “vitamin” production, China has almost Absolute monopolyGlobal hegemony. China not only has the world's largest reserves, but more importantly, controls More than 90%Rare earth refining and processing capacity.
What does it mean?
Let’s switch the scene to the Pentagon’s battle showroom.When something happens in the Taiwan Sea, China decides to cut off the supply of rare earth, a terrible picture of what will happen:
--Lockheed Martin's F-35 fighter production line will be shut down immediately. Because every F-35 needs More than 900 pounds (about 408 kilograms)The rare earth is used to manufacture its advanced radars, sensors and engines.
——In the shipyard of General Motors, a destroyer of the "Ali Burke" class will be transformed into a "blind" and a "deaf" floating on the water. because every destroyer's "Zeus shield" system is needed. More than 5200 pounds (approximately 2358 kilograms)Of rare earths.
--Not to mention precision-guided missiles, tanks and drones that require rare earth permanent magnet materials.
The U.S. war machine, probably within months of its launch, is due to a shortage of critical “vitamins.” Rusted spots and landslide.。This is the most direct and ruthless "Physical choke"。
The second "king bomb" and the "card match" that has dispersed: U.S. debt and lonely people
In addition to the rare earth, China's arsenal of weapons, there is another card that makes the U.S. throw the mouse quotation — U.S. Treasury。
As one of the major overseas holders of U.S. bonds, China, although it is unlikely to sell it in a “clean” manner, at a critical moment, even if it is only a continuous, certain scale of holding, is enough to trigger a panic follow-up by global investors, leading to a surge in U.S. debt yield. Detonate America's own financial turmoil。
This card may not be easily played out, but it is like a sword hanging on top of Wall Street, reminding Americans of the moment. The cost of the table.。
However, more than the blow to the financial and industrial chains, the United States may be cold. The back of people.。
American politicians always like to fantasize that once China and the United States have a showdown, "* allies" all over the world will flock to form an "Eight-Nation Alliance" to besiege China.
However, the wave of scholars at Qingdao University, in its article, has long broken this fictional bubble. He calmly analyzed that once the conflict broke out in the Taiwan Sea, China and the United States were really willing to bet on their own national transportation, sending troops to the war with allies, Numbers - number。
Japan may provide some limited logistical support; the Philippines-Ben may open some bases; as for Europe, it is likely to announce the first time. "Neutrality"。 After all, who would offend their biggest trading partner and get involved in a war that could lead to nuclear annihilation for a distant island?
When the President of the United States looks back and discovers that the so-called "allied" behind him has long been a bird-beast, he may only understand what it is called. "Alone"。
References:
Experts: China's international reserve asset diversification continues to move steadily. daily economic news.2025-06-09
Competing to dispose of each other's frozen assets, the United States, Europe and Russia have launched a war on asset disposal. Interface News.2024 -05-24
Ukraine receives the first Russian-freezed asset revenue from the United States!Russia has condemned this behavior as “theft”. daily economic news.2024-12-25
European and American rare earth "panic", highlighting how the great powers get the game code. observer network.2025-06-06
Zhou Bo: If a conflict breaks out in the Taiwan Strait between China and the United States, who will choose to stand on the side? Center for Strategic and Security Studies, Tsinghua University.2025-08-11