We were getting our international trading butts kicked because a strong dollar allowed everyone in the world to keep weaker currencies then ours, allowing our goods to be much more expensive while we were flooded with cheap foriegn goods. China artificially kept their currency pegged at 8 yuan to the dollar, therebye boosting their economy at the expense of ours. Allowing our currency to float against the world’s currency was an attempt to force parity and to force the Chinese to take themselves off the American teat, which they were finally forced to do so. As for any “debt” we may owe the Chinese, I believe we could make a case for theft on their part thru currency manipulation!
Not to mention all the copyright and patent infringement.......