‘The West Is Scared’ Of China—And It’s Starting to Show

The fear is no longer whispered—it’s policy. Western governments are scrambling to contain China’s growing leverage, not because of what Beijing has threatened, but because of what it’s quietly starting to do.

This week, the Dutch government took the extraordinary step of seizing control of Nexperia, a Chinese-owned chipmaker—an act of economic intervention that signals rising panic over China’s grip on critical technology.

In Washington, the anxiety is just as palpable. After posting confrontational messages about China into last weekend, President Donald Trump abruptly softened his tone on Sunday—prompting commentators such as Peter Schiff to reiterate the critical refrain that “Trump Always Chickens Out.”

Macro strategist Andreas Steno Larsen summed it up in an X.com post:

“There are signs that the West is scared that China is serious about curbing re-exports this time around.”

There are signs that the West is scared that China is serious about curbing re-exports this time around pic.twitter.com/JXPkQuMocC

— Andreas Steno Larsen (@AndreasSteno) October 13, 2025

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