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The complaints are a dead end. - The global supply chain is inexorably tied to Chinese raw materials (eg. rare earths) and manufacturing. - US and European em
by rrggrr 9y ago
The complaints are a dead end.
- The global supply chain is inexorably tied to Chinese raw materials (eg. rare earths) and manufacturing.
- US and European employers are dependent on Chinese inputs for all manner of domestic jobs.
- Financial markets are dependent on Chinese overseas investment and repatriation flows.
Its simply too late. Any disorderly rebalancing of China's economic model is likely catastrophic on a global scale. If Ma's point is that we made our own bed and have to sleep in it - he's right. And none of this is to detract from @3pt14159 point because China has not demonstrated any interest in becoming a responsible global power/steward.
- seanmcdirmid 9y agoChina is the biggest importer of raw materials; they have some, but so does Australia and South Africa. Also, rare earths aren’t really that rare, just messy to process leading to higher costs (in the west) or severe environmental damage (in china). Environment protection will have to change regardless, or china simply won’t exist as a viable place to live anymore. Sure, we will need to pay more for rare earths as more responsible production comes online, and china loses its environmental 差不多 advantage so that capacity doesn’t have to be there. Chinese investments are pretty focused in speculative asset bubbles (like real estate). When that bubble pops, there will be similar pain to Japan, but the world will recover fairly quickly.