The American action in Venezuela was likely a strategic message to other nations, particularly in Latin America, that an alliance with China does not guarantee protection from US intervention and may carry unforeseen downsides.
Luxury brands face a crisis as internal pressure to increase profit multiples from ~8x manufacturing cost to 12-15x forces a shift away from artisanal craftsmanship to mass production, undermining the very quality that justifies their premium prices.
Cryptocurrency's strategic impact isn't its potential to replace the entire financial system, but its ability to absorb the relatively small but critical volume of global transactions related to crime and sanctions evasion, where it can be uniquely effective.
Typically, a weaker US dollar helps developing countries by reducing their debt burden. However, the trade war that weakened the dollar also increased the risk premium on these nations, causing their actual borrowing costs to rise—an unusual and detrimental economic outcome.
By offering only rhetorical support to its ally Venezuela, China reveals the practical limits of its global power. This inaction signals to other nations that a 'friendship' with China does not guarantee robust intervention in a crisis, especially outside of its core strategic interests in Asia.