Europe and USA are addicted to cheap Chinese goods.

[manly]

Mexico and Vietnam, for two. Mind you, this hypothetical of China and the US disengaging completely is not feasible. However, as long as Xi, head of the expansionist and rapacious Han Empire, continues in his brutally authoritarian and Han racist ways (see Hong Kong, Tibet, the Uigyers (sic) and the fucking entire South China Sea) businesses will continue to look for other places to pay the locals shit wages for their sneakers.

Han are basically an ethnic group, there are Han people in the Chinese diaspora worldwide. Don't conflate the PRC/CCP and dictator Xi with all Han Chinese; this is inappropriate language.

 

[Moonbeam]

Han are basically an ethnic group, there are Han people in the Chinese diaspora worldwide. Don't conflate the PRC/CCP and dictator Xi with all Han Chinese; this is inappropriate language.

I used to know a Chinese guy who thought so much like myself that I felt happy to know that if white people disappear from the earth, Moonbeamism will not. There will always be people in whom programming fails to take.

 

[akugami]

a horrendously racist country . with a aging population and a collapsed birth rate for the last 40 years. When even the CCP's numbers are horrific you know just how bad it is.

Yep im calling it

There is certainly racism in China, and definitely racists, but please do not label an entire population as racist. Many of the local populace are far more accepting of inpats from Africa than the USA is of African Americans who were brought over as slaves.

Keep in mind China is a "Sir, Yes Sir!" country. The alternative is jail, possibly death. The average citizen has very little say in politics, other than to agree with the official state message. They only hope to make a decent living.

Mexico and Vietnam, for two. Mind you, this hypothetical of China and the US disengaging completely is not feasible. However, as long as Xi, head of the expansionist and rapacious Han Empire, continues in his brutally authoritarian and Han racist ways (see Hong Kong, Tibet, the Uigyers (sic) and the fucking entire South China Sea) businesses will continue to look for other places to pay the locals shit wages for their sneakers.

If you value freedom, then Xi has been absolutely horrible for the people of China. Xi himself is a victim of the CCP, and has grown up to be one of the most authoritarian figures alive. Funny how that works.

 

[akugami]

I judge any local Mom and Pop Chinese restaurant by their hot and sour soup.

I agree with Andrew Zimmern. Most of the Chinese food in the US is crap. I say that as a person of Chinese descent. I think Zimmern got a bad rap from that comment, and it has ruined his career.

I am addicted to cheap Chinese food.

The missus abhors Chinese takeout. You need to try the authentic stuff. Go to a Chinese restaurant, and find a place where the menu is only in Chinese. Ask the serving staff nicely, and they can make some recommendations based on your likes and dislikes.

 

[akugami]

Well, the west definitely needs to get off their fat asses and start making really basic non technologically advanced things like cellulose for Fn gun powder. These kinds of stupid supply decisions for strategically important things like making gun power have to stop. Profit motive will destroy democracy.

China is a threat to Europe’s gunpowder supply, defense boss warns

Saab chief cautions that Beijing dominates supplies of a key component to make powder to fire shells, and metal for submarines and warships.

www.politico.eu

I find it somewhat ironic China is controlling precursor materials for gunpowder, considering gunpowder was invented in China.

As far as the dependence of China on the west goes, they are taking great strides in decoupling themselves from reliance on the US and EU. China has done this by reaching into Africa, South America, Russia, and even the Middle East. The recent US sanctions, started by bumbling Trump and continued by Biden, has hurt it. The sanctions caught China at a time when they weren't ready for it. If this was 10 years or 20 years later, China could probably easily laugh it off. As it is, China has been hurt and hurt badly.

As a US citizen, I would be very wary of what China can do. China is an authoritarian regime, but do not underestimate their long term vision for how to grasp for more control and power.

 

[Zorba]

I agree with Andrew Zimmern. Most of the Chinese food in the US is crap. I say that as a person of Chinese descent. I think Zimmern got a bad rap from that comment, and it has ruined his career.



The missus abhors Chinese takeout. You need to try the authentic stuff. Go to a Chinese restaurant, and find a place where the menu is only in Chinese. Ask the serving staff nicely, and they can make some recommendations based on your likes and dislikes.

I live in Oklahoma, I think it'll be pretty hard for me to find a real Chinese restaurant. Although I recently found out we have a small Chinatown area in OKC, so maybe.

I actually think the backstory on all the cheap Chinese restaurants is really cool. Basically the entrepreneurship of first generation immigrants and now their kids are successful enough that many restaurants are closing because they have no family that wants to take it over.

 

[cytg111]

nm

 

[cytg111]

I find it somewhat ironic China is controlling precursor materials for gunpowder, considering gunpowder was invented in China.

As far as the dependence of China on the west goes, they are taking great strides in decoupling themselves from reliance on the US and EU. China has done this by reaching into Africa, South America, Russia, and even the Middle East. The recent US sanctions, started by bumbling Trump and continued by Biden, has hurt it. The sanctions caught China at a time when they weren't ready for it. If this was 10 years or 20 years later, China could probably easily laugh it off. As it is, China has been hurt and hurt badly.

As a US citizen, I would be very wary of what China can do. China is an authoritarian regime, but do not underestimate their long term vision for how to grasp for more control and power.

But is there a current long term vision? It sounds to me like Xi has eliminated everyone around him with a thinking cap of their own, effectively making him a cult of personality surrounded by yes men? That comes with its own set of "oh crap" scenarios, but it's a different kind of scenarios.

 

[akugami]

@cytg111

China's vision for expansion and economic dominance mainly lies in developing nations. It is a multi-decade campaign that has started a long time ago. Just look a the BRI (Belt and Road Initiative).

Africa is the primary area it is concentrating on. Africa has a lot of natural resources. It is full of developing nations, desperate for help. China has been funding a lot of development in these poor countries for concessions, both political and monetary. I'd say this is China's primary area of focus for the last two decades or so.

The Middle East and Russia are natural opponents of the US, and of course a ripe trading partner for China. Increasing trade, especially for energy sources like crude oil helps China. China gives cheap goods in exchange.

And finally, South America, as well as Mexico, is an area they'd like to expand into. Much like in Africa, China has been throwing around a lot of money for concessions.

I definitely feel conflicted. While I am not a fan of the CCP, or any other authoritarian regime, I wish nothing but prosperity for the people of China. Just like how I do not have any ill will towards the general populace in Russia, while wishing Putin can go die in a fire 1000x. We have freedom of speech. They don't. We have the right to independent thought. Unless you watch Fox News or Newsmax. They don't.

 

[Shervan360]

Speech by High Representative/Vice-President Josep Borrell:​

Source:

United Kingdom: Speech by High Representative/Vice-President Josep Borrell at Oxford University about the world confronted by wars

Check against delivery!  Distinguished faculty, dear students, ladies and gentlemen, Dear Timothy [Garton Ash, University of Oxford], thank you for inviting me to Oxford. It is a special honour for me to speak at Saint Antony’s. I have been in this College a couple of times before. I know...

www.eeas.europa.eu

 

[Indus]

Speech by High Representative/Vice-President Josep Borrell:​

View attachment 98409

Source:

United Kingdom: Speech by High Representative/Vice-President Josep Borrell at Oxford University about the world confronted by wars

Check against delivery!  Distinguished faculty, dear students, ladies and gentlemen, Dear Timothy [Garton Ash, University of Oxford], thank you for inviting me to Oxford. It is a special honour for me to speak at Saint Antony’s. I have been in this College a couple of times before. I know...

www.eeas.europa.eu

The US spending trillions on defense can atleast give me the luxury of putting your drivel on ignore.

Off to the corner with the dunce cap!

 

[Shervan360]

The US spending trillions on defense can atleast give me the luxury of putting your drivel on ignore.

Off to the corner with the dunce cap!

Truth is bitter.
Read again...

Josep Borrell: (High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy)

I see [that] the international system, that we were accustomed to after the Cold War, no longer exists. America has lost its status of a hegemon. And the post-1945 multilateral [world] order is losing ground.

I see – as you know - China rising to the super-power status. What China has done in the last 40 years is unique in the history of humankind. In the last 30 years, China’s share of the world’s GDP, at PPP, has gone from 6% to almost 20%, while we, Europeans, went from 21% to 14% and the United States from 20% to 15%. This is a dramatic change of the economic landscape.

 

[fskimospy]

Truth is bitter.
Read again...

Josep Borrell: (High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy)

I see [that] the international system, that we were accustomed to after the Cold War, no longer exists. America has lost its status of a hegemon. And the post-1945 multilateral [world] order is losing ground.

I see – as you know - China rising to the super-power status. What China has done in the last 40 years is unique in the history of humankind. In the last 30 years, China’s share of the world’s GDP, at PPP, has gone from 6% to almost 20%, while we, Europeans, went from 21% to 14% and the United States from 20% to 15%. This is a dramatic change of the economic landscape.

Stop spamming the board.

 

[cytg111]

Truth is bitter.
Read again...

Josep Borrell: (High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy)

I see [that] the international system, that we were accustomed to after the Cold War, no longer exists. America has lost its status of a hegemon. And the post-1945 multilateral [world] order is losing ground.

I see – as you know - China rising to the super-power status. What China has done in the last 40 years is unique in the history of humankind. In the last 30 years, China’s share of the world’s GDP, at PPP, has gone from 6% to almost 20%, while we, Europeans, went from 21% to 14% and the United States from 20% to 15%. This is a dramatic change of the economic landscape.

I hope so. And at that table be a voice of reason and peace. I love all Hans