What “mistakes” are we even talking about here? A mistake implies someone actually admits something was wrong — but when has any government ever said that controlling minerals or resources was a mistake?

Just look at OPEC: it literally calls itself a cartel and acts like one, openly and unapologetically, even though cartels are illegal in most contexts.

China simply found something it could dominate — resource processing — and did what any rational superpower would do: locked it down. Why wouldn’t they? Even in crypto, where everything’s supposed to be “decentralized,” you still see dev teams and companies trying to gain full control over blockchains. Even Bitcoin isn’t immune to that.

This isn’t a mistake. It’s how the world works. It’s not about East vs. West — it’s about power, control, and survival. And that dynamic will keep playing out right up until the planet itself gives out.