https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c6271gxpdkzo
China is a great country. Super-productive, high levels of social cohesion (for such a big place), a strong government with a vision and the ability to realise it.
But the price... Repression, loss of individual rights, state control of everything. From a Western viewpoint, it's horrible.
Nevertheless, they are emerging as one of the most powerful geopolitical actors, with potential to overtake the US within decades.
At what point do we worry? Is it even a problem for those of us in the West, from a cultural, economic or military perspective? And even if we worry, what do we do about it?
Perhaps we need to take a leaf from their book and become more productive, bolder in trade and form more powerful blocs. Perhaps we need to become more ruthlessly focused on society as a whole above individual rights. Not that anyone wants that last one.
Or we just ignore it and carry on  |
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By (user no longer on site) 8 weeks ago
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Global trade is not a level playing field. Trade deals should redress some of the in-balance but they don’t.
China can make a product, ship it to Western Europe and sell it at a massive profit for less money that it would cost us to make it. It’s that simple.
That massive surplus in trade, roughly $1.2 trillion annually, enables a government to spend a lot more money than we could ever dream of. They spend much of it on their military.
Income tax for an average earner is 10% with lower paid only paying 3%.
All land and property on that land is owned by the state and citizens pay the state to use that property. But it wasn’t bought from individuals back in the day, it was taken by force.
There is only one option to redress the balance. Devalue everything by 90%. Rents, wages, prices, mortgages.
Unfortunately this is pretty much impossible to do in practice. First off we obviously can’t control the prices of imports and it would take a while to set up a manufacturing base. The implications on financial markets would be catastrophic.
It’s a nice dream but will never happen
In the mean time, China will continue to amass more of the world’s wealth and enjoy the power that comes with that. |
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By (user no longer on site) 8 weeks ago
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"There's an old saying z keep your friends close and your enemies even closer.
The UK would have more to gain with a friendship with china than the US.
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Can’t we be “friends” with both? |
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By (user no longer on site) 8 weeks ago
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"There's an old saying z keep your friends close and your enemies even closer.
The UK would have more to gain with a friendship with china than the US.
Can’t we be “friends” with both? "
Unfortunately no not the USA way of thinking |
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By (user no longer on site) 8 weeks ago
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"There's an old saying z keep your friends close and your enemies even closer.
The UK would have more to gain with a friendship with china than the US.
Can’t we be “friends” with both?
Unfortunately no not the USA way of thinking "
But we are. Well we were until a few days ago. |
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Not sure how many people read the news article that OP shared.
"A new law promoting ethnic unity"
A short summary of what it means:
It lowers the status of other languages at the expense of Mandarin; encourages intermarriage between the dominant Han Chinese and other ethnicities by prohibiting moves to restrict this; requires parents to "educate and guide minors to love the Chinese Communist Party"; and, in a sweeping generalisation, prohibits any acts seen as damaging to "ethnic unity".
I wonder what the "anti-genocide" campaigners in the streets of London think about these measures.
But overall, it's going to be interesting. Individualistic societies are more fun and give you more freedom. Collectivism makes you stronger at the cost of individuals losing their freedom. If China becomes a threat and the West has to face it, it would mean the people giving up certain freedoms they have enjoyed for many decades. Not sure if anyone is ready for that.
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By (user no longer on site) 8 weeks ago
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It's so hard to properly assess China because the flow of accurate information is so restricted. Conversely one reason that the US is so criticise by some extremists is because its problems and mistakes are so visible.
I suspect China actually has some pretty serious fault lines that will inhibit its development, and I find little to envy in what's still a largely totalitarian state. |
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We need to worry about China when they take Taiwan or when Trumps tariff situation blows up.
China are an export oriented country. State backed. All good when involved with export - but look inland to the workers and its a different story.
One thing they wont do though is allow their assets to be sold off to international corporations / foreign interests - or permit the sort of tax avoidance we see in the west. |
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"Not sure how many people read the news article that OP shared.
"A new law promoting ethnic unity"
"
Quite chilling... As they become ever more powerful, they seem to be getting more repressive. And nobody (with power) is really brave enough to speak with any backbone on the issue. Even Trump has toned down his rhetoric in fear of retaliation and acknowledgment of a need for caution. |
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