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I doubt the capability of china to be able to move up the chain. I mean they just figured out ball point pens... it's too little too late. I think china strugg

I doubt the capability of china to be able to move up the chain. I mean they just figured out ball point pens... it's too little too late. I think china struggles because it's only semi capitalist and still has too many relics of a planned economy.

yadongwen 9y ago
Have you read the article? It's not the pen. It's high quality steel. I think most countries probably still cannot do it now. China just successfully flew a big plane a few days ago (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comac_C919 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comac_C919) and could automate package delivery like this https://twitter.com/kerotto/status/851055016928460800 https://twitter.com/kerotto/status/851055016928460800 There are many important areas where it has already been the leader of world (high speed trains, consumer software apps, etc)
- lacampbell 9y ago
  China has built passenger airlines many times before, none of them have ever taken off in international markets. When the C919 is used regularly outside China I'll take note. How is China the leader of the world in high speed trains? They're all based off of designs from Japan and Germany. China is only the leader in consumer software apps inside of China, and only then because it outright bans foreign competition. The fact is China is the worlds most populous country but leads the world in absolutely nothing. And please be clear - this is not a criticism of the Chinese people - of course they have the capacity. But central planning and top down directives will never lead to world beating results.
  - tchaffee 9y ago
    Leads the world in absolutely nothing... #1 manufacturer in the world.
    - myrandomcomment 9y ago
      So? The labor was cheap. And the rules were, shall we say flexible. The US was number one. The rules came, the cost went up and it moved. Look at my other post. One of the startups I worked at moved out of China because of the cost got to high. Its a cycle. As they become more open, more western and more regulated it will change again.
      - tchaffee 9y ago
        Parent post claims China leads the world in nothing. Which is clearly wrong. No need to go beyond that.
        myrandomcomment 9y ago
        Reply was to: tchaffee 2 hours ago [-] "Leads the world in absolutely nothing... #1 manufacturer in the world." Which was correct. I think you got it wrong.
        tchaffee 9y ago
        I don't think I got it wrong. My point was only to correct the original claim that China leads the world in absolutely nothing. If you're not impressed with China being #1 at one of the most important economic sectors in the world, and you want to explain it away, then carry on. I'm not super interested in that convo because I do lots of business with China and already understand the situation intimately and have far better resources than HN comments for learning what's actually happening there. Not meant to be mean spirited, I'm just not interested unless you do business there and have contacts there up to the highest levels of government in which case, let's talk and I might even pay for good info.
        myrandomcomment 9y ago
        Ran Asia for my last 2 startups. I know what I am talking about. I do 120k miles a year from SFO to around Asia. I can read ~1000 Hànzi. My comment was that they are number #1 because of timing and place in their development cycle and it like everything is subject to change. It is really that simple. I wish them all the luck.

yadongwen 9y ago

Have you read the article? It's not the pen. It's high quality steel. I think most countries probably still cannot do it now. China just successfully flew a big plane a few days ago (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comac_C919 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comac_C919) and could automate package delivery like this https://twitter.com/kerotto/status/851055016928460800 https://twitter.com/kerotto/status/851055016928460800 There are many important areas where it has already been the leader of world (high speed trains, consumer software apps, etc)

lacampbell 9y ago
China has built passenger airlines many times before, none of them have ever taken off in international markets. When the C919 is used regularly outside China I'll take note. How is China the leader of the world in high speed trains? They're all based off of designs from Japan and Germany. China is only the leader in consumer software apps inside of China, and only then because it outright bans foreign competition. The fact is China is the worlds most populous country but leads the world in absolutely nothing. And please be clear - this is not a criticism of the Chinese people - of course they have the capacity. But central planning and top down directives will never lead to world beating results.
- tchaffee 9y ago
  Leads the world in absolutely nothing... #1 manufacturer in the world.
  - myrandomcomment 9y ago
    So? The labor was cheap. And the rules were, shall we say flexible. The US was number one. The rules came, the cost went up and it moved. Look at my other post. One of the startups I worked at moved out of China because of the cost got to high. Its a cycle. As they become more open, more western and more regulated it will change again.
    - tchaffee 9y ago
      Parent post claims China leads the world in nothing. Which is clearly wrong. No need to go beyond that.
      - myrandomcomment 9y ago
        Reply was to: tchaffee 2 hours ago [-] "Leads the world in absolutely nothing... #1 manufacturer in the world." Which was correct. I think you got it wrong.
        tchaffee 9y ago
        I don't think I got it wrong. My point was only to correct the original claim that China leads the world in absolutely nothing. If you're not impressed with China being #1 at one of the most important economic sectors in the world, and you want to explain it away, then carry on. I'm not super interested in that convo because I do lots of business with China and already understand the situation intimately and have far better resources than HN comments for learning what's actually happening there. Not meant to be mean spirited, I'm just not interested unless you do business there and have contacts there up to the highest levels of government in which case, let's talk and I might even pay for good info.
        myrandomcomment 9y ago
        Ran Asia for my last 2 startups. I know what I am talking about. I do 120k miles a year from SFO to around Asia. I can read ~1000 Hànzi. My comment was that they are number #1 because of timing and place in their development cycle and it like everything is subject to change. It is really that simple. I wish them all the luck.