Covid 19: Sino global relations

[inchy14]

Good luck with that.

The fact is China will only do what it wants to do. We may be able to persuade them to do the right thing - they are not our enemy. But we aren't in any position to force them to do anything. You seriously underestimate the extent to which our entire way of life is dependent upon out from China.

Then maybe it’s time to change our way of life. Maybe it’s time to start doing things and buying things a little closer to home, time more manufacturing became localised instead of global, it may be the one goid thing that comes out of all this.

 

[MillionMilesAway]

Good luck with that.

The fact is China will only do what it wants to do. We may be able to persuade them to do the right thing - they are not our enemy. But we aren't in any position to force them to do anything. You seriously underestimate the extent to which our entire way of life is dependent upon out from China.

I think that's pretty much true. It would take mass manufacturing being set up again, with all the higher costs, to offset it. Even then, it wouldn't hold for much of the world.

Doesn't China own a significant amount of the US national debt? They've been very effective at inserting themselves into world economics. They've spent heavily in Africa.

 

[Vic]

Did I say that?

You said you wouldn't trust them so why would you trust them to give the world information that would help anyone create a vaccine?

So you would trust them with something?

 

[Deleted member 77198]

I think that's pretty much true. It would take mass manufacturing being set up again, with all the higher costs, to offset it. Even then, it wouldn't hold for much of the world.

Doesn't China own a significant amount of the US national debt? They've been very effective at inserting themselves into world economics. They've spent heavily in Africa.

They’ve built so many roads in Africa that even some very poor African countries have better roads than Britain.

 

[Chippy_boy]

Then maybe it’s time to change our way of life. Maybe it’s time to start doing things and buying things a little closer to home, time more manufacturing became localised instead of global, it may be the one goid thing that comes out of all this.

Oh, it most definitely is.

For example, I know of a number of the world's largest pharmaceutical businesses are currently planning to reconfigure their manufacturing and supply chain capacities in order to become less dependent upon Chinese production. This is happening not only in pharma, but across a wide range of sectors, right now.

It's got nothing to do with "punishing China" however, it's purely economics and sound business sense. Their supplies have been heavily disrupted and it's woken them up to the fact that they are probably too dependent upon single sources of supply and therefore are at risk. And incidentally they are looking to move production into the EU, so in the long run, could be good for us. Oh wait, we're leaving the EU. Bugger.

 

[MillionMilesAway]

They’ve built so many roads in Africa that even some very poor African countries have better roads than Britain.

Really? That's the type of thing, yes, they've gone after the oil etc, and offered huge aid in return. It's quite a well-organised plan, and seems to have not been noticed by many, at the same time as US/UK cut foreign support.

They should get to Namibia then, which barely has tarmac. We drove along the desert stretch that Fury Road was filmed on - 100 km of boneshaking flat desert! Someone's fitbit had them doing 22000 steps that day from the vibrations.

 

[Mon Autre]

Then maybe it’s time to change our way of life. Maybe it’s time to start doing things and buying things a little closer to home, time more manufacturing became localised instead of global, it may be the one goid thing that comes out of all this.

People won't change their habits because they don't want to/can't afford to pay more for things manufactured locally. People herald the idea of British jobs and buying the British but they will still pay £2 for a t-shirt manufactured in a sweat shop in Bangladesh rather than pay £20 for one made in the UK.

 

[Chippy_boy]

People won't change their habits because they don't want to/can't afford to pay more for things manufactured locally. People herald the idea of British jobs and buying the British but they will still pay £2 for a t-shirt manufactured in a sweat shop in Bangladesh rather than pay £20 for one made in the UK.

Spot on. Dangerously veering towards "political discussion" territory not allowed in this thread but I will risk it ;-)

The people moaning about the evils of "globalization" are the same people happy to reap the rewards of it every single day and many of whom would be impacted worst if prices went up across the board as a result of us moving production back to the west.

 

[Indaparkside]

People won't change their habits because they don't want to/can't afford to pay more for things manufactured locally. People herald the idea of British jobs and buying the British but they will still pay £2 for a t-shirt manufactured in a sweat shop in Bangladesh rather than pay £20 for one made in the UK.

How I miss primark:)

 

[Deleted member 77198]

People won't change their habits because they don't want to/can't afford to pay more for things manufactured locally. People herald the idea of British jobs and buying the British but they will still pay £2 for a t-shirt manufactured in a sweat shop in Bangladesh rather than pay £20 for one made in the UK.

I always pluck for the Made In England M12 Fred Perry polo rather than the usual M6300 (don’t know where that’s made).

It’s £15 more expensive.

But I agree with the public in general not wanting to do that.