From my perspective, it seems that what really bothered the author is the fact that China is performing so well, as if it were a major issue that they are ahead . implying that americans should be the ones leading the way and staying at the forefront

Well the US has long prided itself on being an innovative technology leader. Battery technology and products is an area where we are not leading. In fact, we might not even be in the race. “No one told me when to run, I missed the starting gun”

Well, the US always seems to need an enemy. After WW2 it was Russia, then " war on terror" now it's China. Friendly cohabitation seems impossible. Best example the constant war mongering against China. Show me how many countries China invaded since WW2 snd how many the US?

Well, sure. There is a price to pay for alienating research and investment in a particular domain. A decade is a long time in tech.

“ I don’t think China is eating our lunch, per se. I think they made their own lunch. The nation invested in the kitchen, hired better chefs, refined its recipe year after year, and turned its offerings into something people like me genuinely crave.”