China is the world’s fastest growing world powerhouse. Some say it will even surpass the US one day. In 2013, China is expected to have 600 million citizens online. So they’re already a force to be reckoned with. Let’s see how that’s going.
Their largest Internet firm Alibaba is going public. This move would easily make Alibaba the most prosperous and powerful online company in the world, if it isn’t already. Tencent, a Hong Kong based online company, is worth almost as much as Facebook, and has vowed not the make the same mistakes Facebook has. Mobile Internet use is growing too, thanks to cheap smartphones. I saw one chart saying by Christmas 2015, China’s e-commerce sales will be 50% greater than US e-commerce sales.Then there’s the Chinese government and military. There are accusations of targeting the Pentagon in a cyber espionage plot.
Why do I even talk about China? Whether we like it or not, what China does will impact us. Many of our daily goods are made there. Back in 2008, when their markets crashed, so did ours. If something happens and they have to stop their goods and services, ours are going to stop. And now they’re studying our military, to put it diplomatically. Our relationship is that intertwined.?So when Alibaba and Tencent are doing this well, we’re going to feel it. Will the feeling be positive or negative?