"In the long run, meanwhile, the U.S. may have given up what would have been, thanks to the sheer amount of cost and learning curve distance involved, a permanent economic advantage"<p>US is playing a short game though, as the long game suits China. Precipitation of open conflict within a 10 year time frame would give US the <i>casus belli</i> to Putinize China and permanently cripple its technological and economic development.