cryptopulse9

So the Pentagon has released its latest report saying China’s “historic” military build-up has made the US “increasingly vulnerable”. Then, defensively, it adds this comment:

“We do not seek to strangle, dominate, or humiliate China.”

That sentence alone tells you a lot. Because if Washington genuinely wasn’t trying to contain China, it wouldn’t need to keep insisting it isn’t. You don’t reassure someone you’re not humiliating them while surrounding them with bases, alliances, sanctions, tech bans and military exercises.

China’s military expansion isn’t some surprise plan for global domination. It’s a late, deliberate response to decades of US military hegemony, right up to China’s doorstep. When the Pentagon says it feels “vulnerable”, what it really means is that its dominance is ending.

The report talks about China’s nuclear, cyber, space and long-range strike capabilities as if they appeared out of nowhere. But China watched NATO expand, watched the US encircle it with alliances, watched missiles placed ever closer and decided it would no longer remain strategically exposed.

That’s not aggression, it is deterrence and rightfully so. The Pentagon goes out of its way to say relations are “stronger than they’ve been in many years” under Donald Trump, while simultaneously warning Congress that the US homeland is now at risk because of China. You can’t have it both ways. Either China is a cooperative partner, or it’s an existential threat. This constant backflipping is about managing domestic appearance and it has nothing to do with reality.

The uncomfortable truth Washington doesn’t want to say out loud is that China doesn’t need to “humiliate” the US. It doesn’t need to dominate it. It only needs to be strong enough so that the US can no longer dictate terms in Asia without consequences.

The age where the US could project power anywhere, anytime, without pushback is fading. China’s rise hasn’t made the world more dangerous, it’s made it more balanced. Because when someone stands up to a bully, things shift and balance, to an empire accustomed to control, feels more like vulnerability.

So when the Pentagon says “we don’t seek to humiliate China”, what it’s really saying is, we’re struggling to accept a world where we no longer can.

What do you think worries Washington more, China’s weapons, or the fact that they now actually have to take China seriously as an equal?
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🔥On December 24, 2025, the physical silver price on the Shanghai Gold Exchange (SGE) closed at $78.49 per ounce, as PHYSICAL silver premiums over the COMEX silver futures prices exploded to over $8/oz!

This widening gap between Asia's primary physical delivery market and the Western paper futures benchmark highlights growing strains in global silver supply chains.

The SGE, through contracts like Ag(T+D), facilitates direct physical trading and delivery, making its benchmark a closer reflection of immediate physical demand—particularly in China, the world's largest consumer of silver for industrial uses such as solar panels, electronics, and electric vehicles.

In contrast, COMEX futures are predominantly paper contracts, often settled in cash or via exchange-for-physical (EFP) mechanisms that can delay or divert actual metal delivery.

An $8+ premium in Shanghai indicates robust buying interest for deliverable physical #silver in Asia, outpacing the willingness of sellers to supply at COMEX-aligned prices.

This divergence often emerges during periods of physical tightness, where importers and industrial users in China bid aggressively to secure metal amid import restrictions, vault outflows, or surging domestic demand.

Recent reports have noted sharp drawdowns in Shanghai vaults and elevated premiums persisting even in volatile markets, driven by structural deficits and geopolitical hedging.
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Some investors believe recent US economic data may be presenting an overly optimistic picture.

If true, this could matter for markets. Here’s why ⬇️

Over the past week, two major US data points were released:
• CPI inflation
• US Q3 GDP

Both came in much stronger than expected, but not everyone is convinced the full picture is being shown.

1) CPI data

Headline CPI came in at 2.7% vs 3.1% expected.
Core CPI dropped to 2.6%, the lowest level in over 4 years.

On the surface, very positive.

However, some analysts point out that certain components (such as food and shelter-related costs) may have had limited influence due to data collection constraints during the government shutdown.

This has led to debate about whether inflation pressures are being understated.

2) US GDP

US Q3 GDP printed at 4.3%, the strongest growth since Q4 2023.

That suggests a strong economy but again, there are questions.

A significant portion of growth appears to be driven by AI-related investment and intra-sector activity, while personal disposable income growth remained nearly flat.

This raises concerns about how broad-based the growth really is.

So why aren’t markets crashing?

One explanation: markets may already be pricing in these doubts.

Currently we’re seeing:
• Inflation showing signs of re-acceleration
• Economic growth momentum slowing beneath the surface

Historically, this combination often leads to one outcome:

👉 Strength in precious metals

Which is exactly what we’re seeing now.
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