Also, how is this an exception? Didn't many the other Southeast Asian countries do the same, with the result being less remarkable just because of their smaller size?
This is not "my theory." This is pretty standard historian stuff. It's a combination of cold war shenanigans from the US, globalisation and favourable demographics. You can easily find this by looking at any source that is not pushing a certain political agenda. Here's a pretty good summary that is not particularly tainted: https://moderndiplomacy.eu/2025/06/27/chinas-rise-is-an-exce...
Sorry I have to say that the cited writeup is disappointingly shallow. For example it doesn't explain why other countries with equal or better access to the Western markets didn't all industrialize, so globalization may be necessary but is clearly not sufficient. Also its narrative on Chinese agriculture ignores the fact that Chinese agriculture also developed rapidly both in production and in value of output. It became the largest importer of food because the consumption of protein skyrocketed outpacing almost every other country.
Perhaps you missed the part where the US saw China as an opportunity to curb Russian influence in Asia? The Sino-Soviet split [1] was definitely a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the west to slither in. Other countries like India wanted to keep a more neutral stance while China not just denounced the new Russian interpretation of Marxism/Leninism, they embraced the prospect of capitalism once it was presented to them. They were opening up the country at the exact right moment in the cold war and benefited enormously from the post-WWII boom and ensuing rise of globalisation.
Yeah it’s not clear what China achieved was qualitatively significantly superior than Japan or Korea’s achievements.
I think China’s biggest source of fortune was that their rise coincided with the unraveling of American democracy, which arguably began with the 2020 election, but was well and truly set in motion when American leaders exploited 9/11 and lied to the public to start a war in Iraq.
Also, how is this an exception? Didn't many the other Southeast Asian countries do the same, with the result being less remarkable just because of their smaller size?