Deceit, Distortion, and Dependency: Why Engagement with China Requires Clear-Eyed Strategy and Resilience Western companies often enter the Chinese market filled with optimism, buoyed by visions of rapid growth, vast consumer bases, and profitable joint ventures. Yet, again and again, many of them fall into the same traps—often with devastating consequences. Reflecting on Silicon Valley Bank’s experience in China and broader historical trends, three critical themes emerge that explain why Western businesses repeatedly stumble: deceit, manipulation, leverage, engineering of the human soul, and a persistent distortion of reality. The Strategic Playbook: Deceit, Manipulation, and Leverage At the core of China’s … Continue reading How Western Companies Fail in China: Lessons Leaders Must Understand