OT: Political threads but...

[avondalemiller]

...when i went to Tesco's this morning i think the next 2000 Roma were already in town.............

[WanChaiMiller]

I’m sure Wanchai will put us right on this story.

I’ll reserve judgement and wait for further developments.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-53481253

Just seen your post Howdy. This is part of big issue in my view. I'll try and post my thought but please dont come over all indignant at my reply. Lol.

[WanChaiMiller]

I read the story a few days ago in a China English language paper.

This is the next phase of Trumps trade war with China and, in part, an aspect of a much bigger picture.*

These couple of quotes that frame the context for me.

"...China's Ambassador to the United States, Cui Tiankai, said America must make a "fundamental choice" about whether it can live peacefully with a "modernized, strong, prosperous" China.

Ian Duncan Smith said "In a race for trade and investment over the past decade, “the free world has marched somewhat blindly into the embrace of [the] Chinese Communist party”. Unfortunately, it was now clear that China was intent on “complete dominance” globally...."

Evidence of the East / West split I talked about in earlier posts, and the change of the World order (reference to my post on the white lives matter thread where I said the West had used its Corporates to suck wealth out of Eastern countries for the best part of 300 years). China is reversing the trend and Trump is fighting back.

The first phase of Trumps America First policy was through tarrifs, and pulling the US out of trade deals and pausing existing trade talks. It clearly didnt have the desired effect. China countered by filling the trade gaps vacated by Trump (particularly in the ASEAN region) and devalued its currency. US coroprates continued to trade with China at lower prices while American consumers picked up the tab for increased tariffs. The jobs that Trump thought would return to the US did not seem to materialise.

I said on an earlier post it would be a corporate battle that will start with Huawei and then move on to others.* Strategically Trump needed to dislodge Huawei first, as its Chinas' corporate 'jewel in the crown'.

Now hes asking US corporates to withdraw from China and forcing countries to take sides (he did a similar thing with Iran a few years back). Trump has managed to pull us in on his side by making us cancel the 5G contract with Huawei.

This second stage seems to be to discredit China. Trump has attacked on various fronts, including human rights with Uighurs, democracy in Hong Kong and Covid. Hes attempting applying sanctions through conscience - something hes never bothered with before.

Democracy in HK is a misnomer. HK was always ruled from London through a,Governor appointed by our Parliament. Electoral reforms came in the 4 years leading up to the 1997 handover. In a 1996 interview Patten said he knew many of the reforms would not be acceptable to China and would be disputed in years to come.

Trump has withdrawen the 'special trading relationship' they have with HK. The big coroprate banks located in the city have sided with China and could shift their operations over the border into Shengzhen. China is prepared to dump HK. HK is the trading hub for US corps in the region and will make trading for them very tough. The thinking is that US Corps will relicate to Singapore or South Korea.

In terms of human rights abuse, my guess Trump doesnt care much for the Uighur people*but sees it as useful opportunity in this dispute (hes never mentioned them before or shown support for oppressed minorities in his own country or elsewhere).

The main thrust of the criticism is coming from Australia. This is the country that still has its idigenous population living in compounds in the most inhospitable regions of their country. Trump isnt holding them to account.

However it does seem to be increasingly evident China has a policy to re-educate the Uigur peoplr to give up their faith and culture to become model Chinese citizens.* I've read the similar theories put forward on this message board that minority immigrant groups (mainly Muslims) should assimilate into the cultures and customs of the host country. I suppose this is the reality of that theory.

I dont much care for any of these opinions or policies. I think the World should be developed to incorporate all cultures equally (and we have had many debates on the subject).

Forced labour is a world problem. The big corporates like Nike and Apple have a strong precurement presence within China looking at this very thing.* In my view the major corporates and consumers have it in their power to iradicate these practices. Tough problem, not easy to resolve - I see it wherever I travel in all sectors - and much bigger issue for this post.

Many millions of Chinese relocate from rural areas to work in major cities as a matter of course. Its normal. Most factories have accommadation units on site. Conditions in some arent great. I have no way of knowing whether Uighers are being forced to relocate. If they are is should be stopped.

BTW, I dont think any of this is good news for Britain. Not a great time for us to fall out with China at the same time as unravelling our trading relationship with the EU.* Direct investment from China into the UK is £50bn - which does not include trade that we do with them.* My fear it that it will force us into an unequal alliance with USA.

I said on gms WHO thread 'Be careful of what we wish for my friends. The World is at a crossroad.'

Anyway, just my thoughts.

[sawmiller]

https://www.facebook.com/1843255140/...311078371807/?


Something to make you smile and think at the same time - one of my heroes from childhood

[Grist_To_The_Mill]

https://www.facebook.com/1843255140/...311078371807/?


Something to make you smile and think at the same time - one of my heroes from childhood

Yeah, I was a Parky fan too

[sawmiller]

Great combo of these two together

[wendun]

You know I am well aware that I can be obsessive. I can also be hyperbolic. I am quite probably a racist. I like Wan but when he posts as above "I think the World should be developed to incorporate all cultures equally" I can't keep quiet. It's absolute bollox. All cultures are NOT equal. Should the World of Wan embrace those cultures that believe in Female Genital Mutilation? I don't particularly like Trump but some of you lads are in for a shock. You don't like his idea of building walls to keep out Mexicans. You probably don't like my idea of torpedoing asylum seekers in the Channel. But the impact of global warming will mean that, for example, a US government that introduces restrictive border controls will still see 700,000 immigrants from Mexico and Latin America every year by 2050 and a lax administration will see 1.5 million per year. The figures for Europe are equally frightening. Wan, raging and roly are going to get swept aside by a tide of immigration that will swamp this country. Wait and see.

[wendun]

Here's another beauty: Rwandan refugee given asylum in France and a job as churchwarden of Nantes cathedral repays them by burning the cathedral down. Add this guy to the long, long list of refugees and asylum seekers who have repaid us with violence. As Grist might say, When will we learn?

[Grist_To_The_Mill]

We take in refugees and then act surprised when there’s a housing shortage and folks born here are sleeping rough

[wendun]

We take in refugees and then act surprised when there’s a housing shortage and folks born here are sleeping rough

Grist, I don't like these people. I also accept I am probably a racist because I don't like the avalanche of adverts showing black guys screwing white women. Actually it shows them in loving relationships of equality with a perennially smiling black dad which if you know black guy's attitude to family is a joke. But all this is irrelevant because the dimensions of the problem that we will face will make even lefty liberal do-gooders say, "F*ck this for a game of soldiers!"