Maz

iTrader: (34)

What a fascinating insight. The world better get with the programme because China is going to head the New World Order.

Trout

iTrader: (1)

You say this as if this is a surprise. BRIC is the way forward.

Some companies are already with the programme...

Bentley

f1_fan

iTrader: (9)

Good programmes. As a slight aside isn't Zambia a beautful country?

JTaylor

Do you see why they (alongside Russia) blocked the UN resolution in 2003? It was part of the race. People criticise the States for propping up Mubarak et al. well, have you seen how much loot the Chinese stick into Burma? Totalitarian or Liberal Democractic hegemony? People need to choose their team.

Maz

iTrader: (34)

It's the scale of their operations on a global scale. China has the manpower, expertise, will and model to take advantage of raw materials and business opportunity anywhere in the world. Even in war torn countries like Sierra Leone they can set up a successful operation to extract vast quantities of minerals. China is re-writing the rule book, they are changing the world on an economic scale and worryingly flexing their military might. It's not China's communism we should fear but their capitalism.

Maz

iTrader: (34)

It's China's capitalism that is my main concern.

Trout

iTrader: (1)

China to all intents and purposes own the USA!

jonc

What did you expect, everything is made in China these days!

f1_fan

iTrader: (9)

You say that like it's a bad thing. The sooner there is a country capable of preventing the USA from doing exactly what it likes in the world the better.

JTaylor

I still find it incredible that people propose the UK shuns the EU despite the kind of threats no doubt outlined in the programme. I missed it as it happens but will look it up on iPlayer.

DoZZa

iTrader: (4)

+1

As long as the country is not hell bent on World Wide Domination of course!

JTaylor

You seem to be attracted to totalitarianism, f1_fan, have you considered defection?

f1_fan

iTrader: (9)

Well yes, but on current evidence I think that is more the USA's intention than anyone else's!

J4CKO

iTrader: (1)

Kind of like a Big Japan I suppose, hard working, bright and driven, would have happened earlier if it wasn't for Chairman Mao.

andythejock01wrx

Yeah, but then China will be able to do exactly what it wants. I can't see that as being any better.

f1_fan

iTrader: (9)

Yeah maybe but thus far it doesn't seem to have any appetite for invading and controling many of the Muslim countries of the world unlike someone else we could mention!

Trout

iTrader: (1)

Not at all - just a thing a lot of people do not know.

It is a problem for China and America.

China holds hundreds of billions of USD bonds - that they cannot dump onto the market and have seen be devalued during and after the Great Recession.

Some economists believe that the purchase of USD700bn of bonds in the early 2000s was a significant contributor to the credit bubble.

andythejock01wrx

They have massive armed forces but until recently it has been suited more to homeland defence (good) than power projection.

They're building carriers etc now and spending more of their ever increasing GDP on creating a more technologically advanced military. Ok, so they may not seem to have an appetite (although note Tibet), but one wonders whether they might be tempted to venture across to Taiwan as their military might increases.

serega

If they do decide to venture to Taiwan then its probably WW3 as its a known base for American troops and always has been a reminder to the Chinese as to who really runs the show.

g7prs

iTrader: (5)

They are even coming to Scotland! Petrochina has just signed an agreement to buy 50% of the Grangemouth oil refinery!

f1_fan

iTrader: (9)

That's just it though, if that happens they won't be running the show any more, China will.

Maz

iTrader: (34)

Quite. When China requires resources on a massive scale they do business with other countries, America invades under false pretexts.

f1_fan

iTrader: (9)

Sadly that is exactly the situation.

kingofturds

iTrader: (1)

Strange how the BBC paint the Chinese invasion in such a positive light, many contracts have been lost to the Chinese because European companies have demanded tougher anti corruption laws in return for investment where the Chinese don't give a stuff. Suret they are building a few schiils and malaria treatment centres but most of the infastructre is designed to export materials to the motherland but hey ho..

The Zohan

China are really no better, happy to bribe and muscle their way around the world do hardly a country and regime to put on a pedestal or write home about!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/5405438.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/7503428.stm

f1_fan

iTrader: (9)

Doesn't really compare with invading Iraq or Afghanistan on a flimsy pretext of a war on terror though does it?

tony de wonderful

I love the way western corporations preach corporate ethics and whiter then white political-correctness, then get on their knees to do business with tyrannies.

JTaylor

But they're not American!

The Zohan

a couple of examples -

china has proven time and time again it will do whatever it takes to get what they want! You only have to look at their own human rights record.

tony de wonderful

They will sell cheap weapons to corrupt African war lords etc for mineral rights, they are pure business with business being the only ethic. At least the West is held to some sort of ideological standards and liberalism etc even if it falls short at times.

Idiotic African leaders make a pose of welcoming China as a defiance against old colonial enemies but they will be milked dry just even more relentlessly. At least the 19th century colonialist believed in a higher purpose - promoting civilization etc. China will just exploit 1000 times more.