The world is changing fast and the changes in economic and technology fields are to some extent, to the detriment of west’s longtime held position as king of economic and technological advancement, and by extension militarily.

The West is still ahead but their lead is not unassailable. Developing countries, notably the South East Asia nations are doing extremely well especially in the fields of advanced technology. Many U.S and other Western companies source their semiconductors and numerous other parts from the east. The eastern philosophy coupled with handwork, visionary leadership and less liberal/stringent labour laws enable manufacturers to produce goods that are extremely competitive on the world market.

Everyone knows the story of LG, Samsung, Huawei, and not forgetting Taiwanese Plasma Monitors and display units Manufacturers. These are just but few conspicuous electronic consumer goods. There are numerous other products that an ordinary citizen may not be aware of because they are not at the level of "domestic consumables."

But the West should not be worried of small high GDP countries such as South Korea, Malaysia or Taiwan, for example because they don’t pose any military danger to western superpowers. Infact the West needs them to feed their mega industries with various inputs inform of parts such as advanced semiconductors. Also these small countries need the West for their manufactured goods.

These countries, individually, don’t possess the right matrix to become a formidable nation to challenge the superiority of such nations as the USA. The matrix I am referring to here should incorporate appreciable physical size (Area) with the population to match.

A nation can be technologically advanced, eg Switzerland but be not able to undertake such big projects as construction of Aircraft carriers. The two factors, namely, physical size and population, greatly feed into economic might because of inherent large domestic market. A good example is Brazil. Brazil is selling Embraer planes to the world and soon may rival such big players as Boeing and Airbus.

However, the equation changes when you mention China. China is challenging the West’s dominance to the core. China is now the second richest nation on earth behind the US. I was surprised when I read that Italy, the third most indebted nation on earth, is toying with the idea of pegging their currency to the Yuan, the Chinese currency.

Further more the Chinese are doing everything that the West has done before. Soon there is going to be a Chinese Aircraft carriers ( there is one alredady ) roaming the waters of the world.  Again in a few years time they will have their own space station much to the chagrin of the west. By the way, did you know that the Chinese have their own internet search Engine. It’s called Baidu and it’s big.

A long time a go while in secondary school I read a novel by James Hadley Chase called “The Vulture is a patient Bird”. Reading this novel at that tender age I couldn’t help but feel some excitement, some thrill and some fear all served in one bowl. Later on in life I went for a tour in Masai Mara, Kenya’s famed Wildlife sanctuary, and the vulture story was re-lived vividly.

As our vehicle passed by a pack of cheetahs who were feeding on a kill, a vulture was patiently waiting not far away from the feeding cheetahs. As the number of vutures grew the cheetahs were overwhelmed by now tenacious vultures and chased them ( Cheetahs ) away, leaving the vultures to feast on the kill, which they had not killed or trapped in the first place.

This analogy fits well the west’s woes. The West discover new technology and new products but, just like a patient vulture, the developing nations wait patiently, then, in a twinkle of an eye, snap it from their mouth. Then they mass produce the same product and sell back to the them (West). For example, innovative pharmaceutical companies like Ranbaxy of india are selling drugs in the west and to the third world nations at very competitive and affordable prices. Ranbaxy and many other indian and pakistan pharmaceutical firms specialize in manufacture of generic drugs. On the other hand advanced western drug makers such as GSK of Britain and Pfizzer of U.S research and produce original drugs that sell at exorbitant prices and beyond the reach of ordinary mortals like us in Africa.

Just a note. Apple gives the world the Ipad. Then all of a sudden there is all manner of “Pads” all over. People should not have produced a pad until after may be 3 years in order to reward the first innovator. May God bless Steve Jobs soul wherever he is.

Mnj