How Ohio’s Job Losses Show the Cost of Relying on China

Back in the 1970s, China was struggling to feed its people. Factories were rare, and most citizens survived on government-assigned housing with little income. Life expectancy was low—just 59 years—and the average person earned barely $130 a year. Meanwhile, the U. S. was booming. The average American made over $6, 000, lived to 71, and two-thirds owned homes. Exports from America topped $71 billion, far outpacing China’s tiny $3. 5 billion. But that same year, the U. S. started running massive trade deficits, setting the stage for China’s later rise. Fast forward to today, and the balance has flipped. China now produces 980 million tons of steel annually—more than ten times what the U. S. makes. Its factories churn out 45 million tons of aluminum, while America produces just 500, 000 tons. Chinese carmakers build over 31 million vehicles a year, compared to America’s 10. 5 million. The shift has hit Ohio hard—over a third of its manufacturing jobs have vanished since 1999. Wages haven’t kept up, and fewer than half of Ohioans are now considered middle class. Life expectancy in the state barely budged in fifty years, rising just three years since the 1970s.China’s progress isn’t just economic—it’s reshaping global power. In 2024, it landed 60% of all shipbuilding orders and now has the world’s largest navy, with 234 warships compared to America’s 219. It also controls over 90% of the rare earth minerals needed for missiles, satellites, and advanced weapons. Even medicine isn’t safe—China supplies most of the penicillin ingredients used in U. S. hospitals. The lesson? Economic dependence can turn into a security risk. China’s leaders have spent years building self-sufficiency, stockpiling supplies, and investing in energy to survive shortages. Meanwhile, America outsourced key industries, leaving itself vulnerable. Ohio’s decline shows what happens when middle-class jobs disappear—and how hard it is to get them back.