4 ms·

We stopped letting them manufacture anything of strategic military or government significance. We are mostly dependent on them for basic household goods and con

We stopped letting them manufacture anything of strategic military or government significance. We are mostly dependent on them for basic household goods and consumer electronics. Those things could be cut back significantly without destroying our own economy. Keep in mind that China can't feed itself without the world. That is a much more dangerous dependence.

frankharv 5y ago
You are correct. The "Buy American Act" has some good features. We recently had to buy Anchor Chain for a gov vessel refirb and it literally took an act of congress to override and buy Chinese anchor chain. There is no one in USA who could provide it in a timely fashion. 52 week lead time is unsat. China will trade Russia for wheat due to bad harvests. We are driving Russia into Chinese hands with currency and transactions. Too bad they have an dictator for life. He gambled and lost.
- plussed_reader 5y ago
  Russia effectively becomes a vassal state of the Chinese economy; wonder how they will re-tool the Xinjiang re-education for the Tibetski 2.0?
tablespoon 5y ago
> We stopped letting them manufacture anything of strategic military or government significance. We are mostly dependent on them for basic household goods and consumer electronics. Those things could be cut back significantly without destroying our own economy. That dependence still creates a significant political risk, which the West is in a poorer position to manage. > Keep in mind that China can't feed itself without the world. That is a much more dangerous dependence. That would be a serious vulnerability, except the world probably isn't united enough for it to matter. For instance, my understanding is Russia is a major food exporter. Add in a conquered Ukraine and maybe a couple other countries and you might fill that gap.

4 ms·

We stopped letting them manufacture anything of strategic military or government significance. We are mostly dependent on them for basic household goods and con

by birdyrooster 5y ago

frankharv 5y ago
You are correct. The "Buy American Act" has some good features. We recently had to buy Anchor Chain for a gov vessel refirb and it literally took an act of congress to override and buy Chinese anchor chain. There is no one in USA who could provide it in a timely fashion. 52 week lead time is unsat. China will trade Russia for wheat due to bad harvests. We are driving Russia into Chinese hands with currency and transactions. Too bad they have an dictator for life. He gambled and lost.
- plussed_reader 5y ago
  Russia effectively becomes a vassal state of the Chinese economy; wonder how they will re-tool the Xinjiang re-education for the Tibetski 2.0?
tablespoon 5y ago
> We stopped letting them manufacture anything of strategic military or government significance. We are mostly dependent on them for basic household goods and consumer electronics. Those things could be cut back significantly without destroying our own economy. That dependence still creates a significant political risk, which the West is in a poorer position to manage. > Keep in mind that China can't feed itself without the world. That is a much more dangerous dependence. That would be a serious vulnerability, except the world probably isn't united enough for it to matter. For instance, my understanding is Russia is a major food exporter. Add in a conquered Ukraine and maybe a couple other countries and you might fill that gap.