You can say the real means of production aren’t anything material, but the skills, and knowledge of how to make things. And, like, the US just gave it all up willingly because it “makes economic sense” and makes the rich more money. Now they (the US) don’t even know how to make new stuff anymore.
Edit: clarify who i meant by “they”, thought it was unambiguous.
Yeah, I think their point is that if China suddenly threatened to cut off all trade with the US, we would be screwed because we no longer have the means to produce everything we need as a nation.