But what Friedman didn't predict is that the world is building walls, started by the Americans. The way I see it, when the yanks started to block the Chinese tech companies, like Huawei from accessing google and other American apps, the war is on. I think China and Huawei should support local apps in other countries, like EU, to challenge US apps like Facebook or Google. If the US create walls to contain China, two can play the game. Especially since the EU also want to regain their independent from American dominated tech sector, and countries like India and South East Asia, want to emulate China and have their own champions. If China can't have their market, then China must also make it impossible for the US to have them too. Of course, ideally, China and Huawei should work with them and share the world together. Huawei can build a playstore that promote EU apps alongside Chinese ones to sell in EU, ASEAN apps to sell in ASEAN, etc.

One thing for sure, it is impossible for China to try to emulate the US domination using what they have today, the world is different now. One or two apps like tiktok, may work, but I'm not optimist about Alipay and Wechat wallet and others. The train has long left the station, they should have done it 5 years ago if they want to be dominant globally. Now not only countries are growing nationalistic, they also have their own local champions. Alibaba and Tencent really missed a great opportunity. That's the problem living in a protected environment, they grow complacent. But not every thing is lost, they should invest and cooperate with those local champs in other countries, that way they can still profiting and spreading influence. They also need to keep innovating. Only new innovation can give them another shot at global domination.