‘The most competitive’: China overtakes US in car production

[Tom Paine 1949]

This issue is far more complicated than just the production of cars. China has 1.5 billion people. In theory they should be producing far more cars.

That's not the issue though is it?

Right! The U.S. and its allies are now fairly unified in opposing China’s further economic development … in almost every area. China also faces new internal problems.

Diplomacy and statesmanship is now more than ever needed, especially if we hope to avoid a huge nationalist backlash in China. We must be seen as being reasonably fair — thus encouraging reasonable internal evolution in China.

Of course how China evolves is not really primarily up to us, and so we must be sure our own (and our allies’) auto and jet plane-building industries, as well as our new technologies and our society itself, are healthy. Probably our greatest weakness right now is that our “politics” and our society itself are not healthy.

 

[pknopp]

Right. The U.S. and its allies are now fairly unified in opposing China’s further economic development … in almost every area. China also faces new internal problems.

No we aren't.

Diplomacy and statesmanship is now more than ever needed, especially if we hope to avoid a huge nationalist backlash in China. We must be seen as being reasonably fair — thus encouraging reasonable internal evolution in China.

Of course how China evolves is not really primarily up to us, and so we must be sure our own (and our allies’) auto and jet plane-building industries, as well as our new technologies and our society itself are healthy. Probably our greatest weakness right now is that our “politics” and our society itself are not healthy.

We don't need diplomacy. We simply need to address the desire to exploit China's for their cheap labor.

 

[Tom Paine 1949]

pknopp , I was hoping for a more articulate comment from you.

Exactly how does one “address a desire to exploit China for their cheap labor”? Are you aware much more than “cheap labor” is involved in China’s rapid industrial development? That they have educated, hardworking laborers and management, deep logistic advantages, and mostly rely on their own consumer market?

Why is Japan and Korea so much more successful as exporters of cars and electronics than is the U.S. … despite having far more expensive labor than China and labor equally expensive as in the U.S.? Japan and Korea also must — and wisely choose to — build manufacturing plants here.

As for “no need for” statesmanship and diplomacy — you unfortunately sound like a MAGA Republican. The whole point is to defend and develop ourselves intelligently, which can certainly not be done by simply cutting off all trade with China and seeking to increase Cold War hysteria! That is where “statesmanship” becomes important — working out appropriate carrots and sticks, economic and political measures.

If I misunderstand you, I apologize. I just myself just mean that, like how we address democratic rights in China, or how we address “One China” and diplomatically handle Taiwan issues, none of this is … simple.

 

[pknopp]

pknopp , I was hoping for a more articulate comment from you.

Seems generally when I do that nobody reads it or pretends I said something completely different.

Exactly how does one “address a desire to exploit China for their cheap labor”? Are you aware much more than “cheap labor” is involved in China’s rapid industrial development? That they have educated, hardworking laborers and management, deep logistic advantages, and mostly rely on their own consumer market?

Sure they do. They are people just like we are.

Why is Japan and Korea so much more successful as exporters of cars and electronics than the U.S. … despite having far more expensive labor than China? Japan and Korea also must — and wisely choose to — build manufacturing plants here.

Their #1 concern isn't "shareholder value" and the next bonus associated with the next P&L statement. They are more concerned over long term plans.

As for “no need for” statesmanship and diplomacy — you sound like a MAGA Republican! The whole point is to defend and develop ourselves intelligently, which can certainly not be done by simply cutting off all trade with China and seeking to increase Cold War hysteria! That is where “statesmanship” becomes important — working out appropriate carrots and sticks, economic and political measures.

I don't support cutting off all trade. I support no longer accepting the lies of those who are only concerned with what I note above.

If I misunderstand you, I apologize. I just myself just mean that, like how we address democratic rights in China, or how we address “One China” and diplomatically handle Taiwan issues, none of this is … simple.

IMO Taiwan is not ours to address.

 

[Unkotare]

im sure they are quality cars.....

 

[Failzero]

Slave Labor / Prisoner Labor not cheap Labor

 

[Tom Paine 1949]

If you have any evidence of slave or prison labor working in car factories in China, please provide if. The biggest problem, actually, is with the lack of independent unions.

 

[Harry Dresden]

that car died in 1980.....try something a little more recent....