On the Continuation and Transformation of the Globalization Process

In the present era, globalization has become an irreversible historical trend, deeply influencing all aspects of the world. Despite facing numerous challenges, the pace of globalization still moves forward firmly, continuously shaping the development trajectory of human society.

From an economic perspective, the scale and scope of international trade continue to expand. Multinational corporations conduct resource allocation and production layout on a global scale. The components of products often come from different countries and regions and are assembled into final commodities through complex and efficient supply chain systems for sale worldwide. For example, a smartphone may contain chips from the United States, screens from Japan, batteries from South Korea, and assembly and manufacturing from China. This global production model has continuously increased the degree of economic interdependence among countries. The rise of emerging economies has also added new vitality to the globalized economy. They actively integrate into the world economic system with their own resource advantages, labor advantages, or market advantages and become indispensable links in the global industrial chain and supply chain. The integration degree of the international financial market is also deepening day by day. Funds flow rapidly around the world, and the monetary policies and financial market fluctuations of various countries affect each other. Although this also brings certain financial risks, overall, it promotes the efficient allocation of global capital and drives economic development and innovation.

However, the then-US President-elect Trump announced a 10% tariff increase on imported goods from China and a 25% tariff increase on imported goods from Mexico and Canada. This is a headache-inducing signal. He may impose harsher punishments on China and may also show his teeth to Japan and Europe. In addition, the expulsion of illegal immigrants is approaching. The policy changes in the United States may affect the active flow of people, goods, and funds. Even so, the process of globalization will not stop. Globalization has a profound economic, technological, and social foundation and cannot be easily reversed by the policies of a single country.

In the field of science and technology, the trend of globalization is even more prominent. The popularization of the Internet has broken the limitations of region and time, allowing information to spread to every corner of the world in an instant. Scientific research cooperation is no longer confined within a single country. Scientists jointly tackle global problems such as climate change and disease prevention and control through international cooperation projects. Academic research achievements can also be quickly shared and exchanged on a global scale, accelerating the pace of knowledge dissemination and innovation. At the same time, the diffusion of technology has been accelerated due to globalization. Advanced production technologies and information technologies have been transferred from developed countries to developing countries, promoting the overall improvement of the global technological level, narrowing the technological gap between countries, and further promoting the upgrading and transformation of industries, providing a strong impetus for global economic growth.

In terms of culture, globalization has promoted the exchange and integration of cultures. The cultural products, values, and lifestyles of different countries and ethnic groups spread and influence each other. Hollywood movies, South Korean pop music, Japanese anime, etc. have a large number of fans around the world. At the same time, traditional Chinese cultures such as martial arts, Peking Opera, and traditional Chinese medicine are also attracting more and more attention and love internationally. This cultural exchange enriches people's spiritual world, stimulates the inspiration for cultural creation, and forms a situation of coexistence and prosperity of multiple cultures. Although some people are worried that cultural globalization will lead to the homogenization of local cultures, in fact, in the collision with foreign cultures, each ethnic culture is constantly strengthening its own characteristics and identity and realizing the innovation and development of local culture by absorbing and drawing on the excellent elements of foreign cultures.

The development of transportation and communication is an important support for the continuous progress of globalization. Air transportation enables people to reach any corner of the world in a short time, greatly facilitating the exchanges of people and the conduct of business activities. The containerization of maritime transportation has significantly improved the efficiency of cargo transportation and reduced costs, ensuring the smooth progress of global trade. The rapid development of communication technology, from early telephones and faxes to today's 5G networks and satellite communications, has made real-time global communication a reality. Enterprises can remotely manage branches distributed around the world, and individuals can also keep in close contact with relatives and friends in foreign countries. All these have made the earth become smaller and smaller, laying a solid foundation for the in-depth development of globalization.

Nevertheless, the globalization of the world with a long history will not come to an end. In order to adapt to the environmental changes brought about by Trump, the replacement of the protagonists and the shift of the focus of globalization may become more obvious. The status of emerging economies in the global economy is increasingly rising, and they will play a more important role in promoting the process of globalization. Some traditional leading forces in globalization also need to re-examine their roles and strategies to adapt to the new situation. At the same time, the focus of globalization may further shift from the traditional trade field to scientific and technological cooperation, cultural exchanges, and addressing global challenges, maintaining the vitality and resilience of globalization through diversified development paths.

Globalization has shown strong vitality and continuous development momentum in many fields such as economy, science and technology, and culture. Although it will encounter various setbacks, it will still move forward, continuously shaping a world that is more closely connected, interdependent, and develops together. All countries should actively conform to the trend of globalization, strengthen cooperation, jointly address global challenges, share the opportunities and achievements brought by globalization, and promote human society to move towards a more prosperous and harmonious future.