To hem someone or something in. a rebuke to U.S. efforts to hem in China’s technology. But the real competition is internal, and profits are hard to find.

 

China Displays Its Gizmos and Ambition, but Fewer Answers on Trade

The vast Global Digital Trade Expo in Hangzhou stood as a rebuke to U.S. efforts to hem in China’s technology. But the real competition is internal, and profits are hard to find.

AI Overview

To hem someone or something in means to surround and restrict them so they cannot move, act, or grow freely. This can be literal, such as a village being hemmed in by mountains, or figurative, like a person feeling hemmed in by bureaucracy or a restrictive job. 

Key aspects of "hem in":

• Surround: The primary action is to create a circle or barrier around someone or something. 
• Restrict: The purpose of the surrounding is to limit movement, options, or growth. 
• Obstacles: This restriction is often caused by physical barriers, like mountains, or metaphorical ones, such as rules, people, or circumstances. 

Examples:

• Physical: A village is hemmed in on all sides by towering mountains, making escape impossible. 
• Figurative: She felt hemmed in by her boss's constant demands and lack of support. 
• Figurative: The police hemmed in the demonstrators, preventing them from moving forward.