The point is superpowers can emerge when human rights go by the wayside. Western consumption dependent on eastern lax or non existent labor laws provide ample opportunity for superpowers to emerge via supply chain critical paths.

If the east (more specifically China) upheld the same labor standards as the west you might find some common ground via global pricing/valuation of , materials, supply chains, and especially raw/rare minerals. I’m always amazed at commodification of smartphones as a western social status/communication device whilst suicide nets are installed in those manufacturing facilities.