While “Made in China” has become a staple of our everyday lives, with everything from our phones to our clothes made in “the world’s factory”, that hasn’t always been the case. It wasn’t until China’s accession to the World Trade Organization in 2001 that the country really opened up to the world economy, quickly turning it into the most important link in today’s global supply chains.

Our latest Racings Bars video highlights China’s breathtaking rise to the top of the world’s merchandise exporters over the past 20 years, while also showing who dominated world trade before globalization became the all-conquering force it is today.