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Both are in bed with each other. If USA were strategic and had sound economic policies, the government would pass bipartisan laws that prevent an authoritarian

Both are in bed with each other. If USA were strategic and had sound economic policies, the government would pass bipartisan laws that prevent an authoritarian regime from gaining the leverage that GP is talking about. It is not too difficult to just look at the trade deficit with China. Not just USA, China has a huge amount of leverage with every nation in the EU, Switzerland, Australia, India, vast APEC region, Korea, Japan and South America. Just look around you and find out what's not made in China.

xupybd 6y ago
New Zealand is also in big trouble if we anger China. Our economy is heavily reliant on China. Even our universities rely on Chinese students to help pay the bills.
- fermienrico 6y ago
  What's even more surprising is back-end supply chain is also dependent on China. Most people think that their USB cables and computer monitors come from China. But the pill you're taking probably has most of the raw ingredients imported from China. Polymers? China. Lab chemicals? Perfumes? Engine oil? China. Most machines that make these things have parts made in China. Bearings to shafts, motors, wires, adapters, etc. Probably the entire Molex, Keystone, Murata catalog is made in China. I just opened a can of Geisha [1] oranges in syrup. Sounds Japanese, nope, it's made in China. [1] https://www.geishabrand.com/Products/Fruits https://www.geishabrand.com/Products/Fruits Even if China was a free society, completely open culture and they allowed mass protests, guns, and weapons, didn't have a military, hung Abraham Lincoln's posters everywhere and declared Edward Snowden as the president - we should not put all of our eggs in one basket.
  - rckoepke 6y ago
    For North American buyers, engine oils (lubricants) and polymers are more often from Houston, I'd imagine. For example, USA produced 21 million metric tons of polyethylene in 2019, exported ~9 million metric tons ($10 Billion), and imported about half what we exported ($5 Billion).
  - kohtatsu 6y ago
    I hereby commit 8 of my eggs to that China.
lazyeye 6y ago
The one thing that stands out for me is the postal treaty that was negotiated so that China is able to deliver products to the US for less than it costs a local company to deliver to an adjacent state. I'd love to have the background on how this situation arose. The giving away of the one and only single competitive advantage to a country that manipulates its currency, has little to no environmental laws and occupation health & safety etc. It just boggles the mind the economic devastation this decision would have wreaked across the US.

xupybd 6y ago

New Zealand is also in big trouble if we anger China. Our economy is heavily reliant on China. Even our universities rely on Chinese students to help pay the bills.

fermienrico 6y ago
What's even more surprising is back-end supply chain is also dependent on China. Most people think that their USB cables and computer monitors come from China. But the pill you're taking probably has most of the raw ingredients imported from China. Polymers? China. Lab chemicals? Perfumes? Engine oil? China. Most machines that make these things have parts made in China. Bearings to shafts, motors, wires, adapters, etc. Probably the entire Molex, Keystone, Murata catalog is made in China. I just opened a can of Geisha [1] oranges in syrup. Sounds Japanese, nope, it's made in China. [1] https://www.geishabrand.com/Products/Fruits https://www.geishabrand.com/Products/Fruits Even if China was a free society, completely open culture and they allowed mass protests, guns, and weapons, didn't have a military, hung Abraham Lincoln's posters everywhere and declared Edward Snowden as the president - we should not put all of our eggs in one basket.
- rckoepke 6y ago
  For North American buyers, engine oils (lubricants) and polymers are more often from Houston, I'd imagine. For example, USA produced 21 million metric tons of polyethylene in 2019, exported ~9 million metric tons ($10 Billion), and imported about half what we exported ($5 Billion).
- kohtatsu 6y ago
  I hereby commit 8 of my eggs to that China.

lazyeye 6y ago

The one thing that stands out for me is the postal treaty that was negotiated so that China is able to deliver products to the US for less than it costs a local company to deliver to an adjacent state. I'd love to have the background on how this situation arose. The giving away of the one and only single competitive advantage to a country that manipulates its currency, has little to no environmental laws and occupation health & safety etc. It just boggles the mind the economic devastation this decision would have wreaked across the US.