On one hand, I don't blame Apple for threading the needle with the CCP in order to get access to a market with 5 times the population of U.S. But on the other, that's a lot of money and resources that are building Communist China instead of the United States. China is a major competitor, biggest trade partner, and #1 threat to the U.S. all at the same time. Their government's goal is to be the world superpower by 2050. This was a long-term plan started in the 1970's. We dismissed them for decades, thought we "free" trade could liberalize the CCP, and their military was subpar compared to ours. All that has changed in the last 20 years. While we still have a superior military, they have the capability to win a battle (for example, Taiwan) before we can respond with full force. They also have sophisticated enough equipment (planes, missiles, anti-satellite etc.) to give us real problems.
Agreed, Apple is in a tough spot, but it does seem like they could do more domestically at the same time, doesn't seem like this needs to be mutually exclusive.
I think the other barrier is that domestically (US), there's not much political incentive do do anything the CCP doesn't like, particularly given the fact that the CCP has bought out or otherwise compromised so many US politicians. Even the current President has been caught making illegal deals with the Chinese companies (via emails found on his son's laptop, and publicly corroborated by one of their business partners), not to mention a member of the house intelligence committee (Swallwell) having sex with a CCP spy named Fang Fang, and a member of the senate intelligence committee (Feinstein) having a CCP spy as her chauffeur for over a decade.. If this was a movie it'd be too hard to believe, yet this is our reality, and it's not looking good. Unfortunately, people are so ideologically blind that they become immediately defensive, and so we don't get a chance to discuss these issues as a society.
Just a curious question, since the subject seems to be manufacturing in a different country. How much more would you be willing to pay to buy all US manufactured Apple products? 15%, 20%, 30% I am truly just curious.
It’s not about all-US or not. It’s about not feeding totalitarian regimes with an agenda to take over the world at any cost — military force included. And there is in principle nopricethat’s too high to pay to avoid that. So, to satisfy your pragmatic curiosity let’s say 1000%, depending on how imminent the hostile takeover is.
To all you speculative daydreamers in this thread: For god’s sake wake up. It’s time to pull the tongue out of that Chinese butt hole.
It was just a question, I had been thinking about for a while and I was only asking it to see what others thought. No more, no less.
This is a bait, right? The real question is would you stop buying Apple products made in China at today's prices?
The idea of liberalizing China is stupid and impossible to finish. Remember that everything existing is for a reason. The Chinese youth hold completely different ideology views over their same-ages in EU or US. The Rasism and Communist-Socialism view is evenly held, last one might be a little overtaken. The liberals in China is minority in the minority. Suffering from more original Capitalism inside China, the youth and 80s are dispiriting from long working times(12+ hrs per day), low income(one-third of US) and high house prices(Greater than most major cities). The ones on the top in China don’t care, don’t wanna improve any. So the entire society is going left, way left. Although they’re different in terms of view(youth), but they all see the shortcomings and flexible inside the Chinese system. Some of them believe that with a complete theory of Socialism and Karl Marx, and an opportunity, that China can become a country realizing full welfare-distribution and a Market-to-AI Commanded Shift in economy, and they can have a way to bypass both totalitarian and stupid-democracy system that elected Trump or Hitler. As I can tell, it is pretty much like committee system in North EU. They do have a different theory. Pretty much the bottom line of the growing leftists in China is Bernie-like.
And I have to stress that the rumors about China are mostly exaggerated. The Peng Story might be real but the others might not be… The conditions in China is better than Russia, at least.
Apple is representing the future of corporate, that corporate is built on the international relations, not on a risky separate country that may be defeated in future.
I wonder what happens if the deal is allowed to expire.
Apple: They lose their best manufacturing base, they one they've built their company on, as well as the second largest market in the world.
China: Their unemployment rate goes up by 0.1%
Apple will become a mediocre company. The big high tech companies will be dominated by Google, Microsoft, Amazon, Metaverse. No more Apple.
Not sure why you think that a deal expiring means that China are suddenly boycotting Apple.
If China haters have their will this will be the destiny of Apple. Apple almost went bankrupt in 1997 because it lost to the Wintel monopoly.
Maybe, but that's not the question I posed.
Apple with no debt and 1.2 billion dollars in the bank wasn’t near bankruptcy at the time, those CEO’s after Jobs did one thing right, they had Apple living with in their means.
The idea of liberalizing China is stupid and impossible to finish. Remember that everything existing is for a reason. The Chinese youth hold completely different ideology views over their same-ages in EU or US. The Rasism and Communist-Socialism view is evenly held, last one might be a little overtaken. The liberals in China is minority in the minority. Suffering from more original Capitalism inside China, the youth and 80s are dispiriting from long working times(12+ hrs per day), low income(one-third of US) and high house prices(Greater than most major cities). The ones on the top in China don’t care, don’t wanna improve any. So the entire society is going left, way left. Although they’re different in terms of view(youth), but they all see the shortcomings and flexible inside the Chinese system. Some of them believe that with a complete theory of Socialism and Karl Marx, and an opportunity, that China can become a country realizing full welfare-distribution and a Market-to-AI Commanded Shift in economy, and they can have a way to bypass both totalitarian and stupid-democracy system that elected Trump or Hitler. As I can tell, it is pretty much like committee system in North EU. They do have a different theory. Pretty much the bottom line of the growing leftists in China is Bernie-like.
And I have to stress that the rumors about China are mostly exaggerated. The Peng Story might be real but the others might not be… The conditions in China is better than Russia, at least.
Apple is representing the future of corporate, that corporate is built on the international relations, not on a risky separate country that may be defeated in future.
Huh! The upper 10% may feel that way, but being without a country is foolish.
The idea of liberalizing China is stupid and impossible to finish. Remember that everything existing is for a reason. The Chinese youth hold completely different ideology views over their same-ages in EU or US. The Rasism and Communist-Socialism view is evenly held, last one might be a little overtaken. The liberals in China is minority in the minority. Suffering from more original Capitalism inside China, the youth and 80s are dispiriting from long working times(12+ hrs per day), low income(one-third of US) and high house prices(Greater than most major cities). The ones on the top in China don’t care, don’t wanna improve any. So the entire society is going left, way left. Although they’re different in terms of view(youth), but they all see the shortcomings and flexible inside the Chinese system. Some of them believe that with a complete theory of Socialism and Karl Marx, and an opportunity, that China can become a country realizing full welfare-distribution and a Market-to-AI Commanded Shift in economy, and they can have a way to bypass both totalitarian and stupid-democracy system that elected Trump or Hitler. As I can tell, it is pretty much like committee system in North EU. They do have a different theory. Pretty much the bottom line of the growing leftists in China is Bernie-like.
And I have to stress that the rumors about China are mostly exaggerated. The Peng Story might be real but the others might not be… The conditions in China is better than Russia, at least.
Apple is representing the future of corporate, that corporate is built on the international relations, not on a risky separate country that may be defeated in future.
Well said. But I doubt that anybody in China (from the top to the bottom) expects the Marxist ideal of "full welfare-distribution". China has embraced capitalism while retaining socialist underpinnings. And what is becoming clear with all the recent restrictions is that they feel that capitalist organizations are there to serve society rather than the western model of society serving capitalism and capitalists. Also, they do not appear to expect or want everyone to be equal financially. Rather, they want to eliminate the abject poverty (without penalizing the rich and successful) that their people have lived under -- and in that, they have mostly succeeded. Here in the west, socialists often think socialism should use the Robinhood model of wealth redistribution -- and perhaps that is necessary since often the poor have nobody on their side to help lift them out of the poverty they suffer under.
The idea of liberalizing China is stupid and impossible to finish. Remember that everything existing is for a reason. The Chinese youth hold completely different ideology views over their same-ages in EU or US. The Rasism and Communist-Socialism view is evenly held, last one might be a little overtaken. The liberals in China is minority in the minority. Suffering from more original Capitalism inside China, the youth and 80s are dispiriting from long working times(12+ hrs per day), low income(one-third of US) and high house prices(Greater than most major cities). The ones on the top in China don’t care, don’t wanna improve any. So the entire society is going left, way left. Although they’re different in terms of view(youth), but they all see the shortcomings and flexible inside the Chinese system. Some of them believe that with a complete theory of Socialism and Karl Marx, and an opportunity, that China can become a country realizing full welfare-distribution and a Market-to-AI Commanded Shift in economy, and they can have a way to bypass both totalitarian and stupid-democracy system that elected Trump or Hitler. As I can tell, it is pretty much like committee system in North EU. They do have a different theory. Pretty much the bottom line of the growing leftists in China is Bernie-like.
And I have to stress that the rumors about China are mostly exaggerated. The Peng Story might be real but the others might not be… The conditions in China is better than Russia, at least.
Apple is representing the future of corporate, that corporate is built on the international relations, not on a risky separate country that may be defeated in future.
Huh! The upper 10% may feel that way, but being without a country is foolish.
That's how global corporations -- and free market capitalism -- work: they take the best from the best.
It started over a thousand years ago with the silk road from Beijing to Venice: the east made stuff the west wanted & needed while the west made stuff that the east wanted & needed.
I wonder what happens if the deal is allowed to expire.
Apple: They lose their best manufacturing base, they one they've built their company on, as well as the second largest market in the world.
China: Their unemployment rate goes up by 0.1%
Apple will become a mediocre company. The big high tech companies will be dominated by Google, Microsoft, Amazon, Metaverse. No more Apple.
Not sure why you think that a deal expiring means that China are suddenly boycotting Apple.
If China haters have their will this will be the destiny of Apple. Apple almost went bankrupt in 1997 because it lost to the Wintel monopoly.
Maybe, but that's not the question I posed.
Apple with no debt and 1.2 billion dollars in the bank wasn’t near bankruptcy at the time, those CEO’s after Jobs did one thing right, they had Apple living with in their means.
What? That has nothing to do with anything. please don't indulge waveparticle's distraction attempt non-sequiturs.
I wonder what happens if the deal is allowed to expire.
Apple: They lose their best manufacturing base, they one they've built their company on, as well as the second largest market in the world.
China: Their unemployment rate goes up by 0.1%
Apple will become a mediocre company. The big high tech companies will be dominated by Google, Microsoft, Amazon, Metaverse. No more Apple.
Not sure why you think that a deal expiring means that China are suddenly boycotting Apple.
If China haters have their will this will be the destiny of Apple. Apple almost went bankrupt in 1997 because it lost to the Wintel monopoly.
Maybe, but that's not the question I posed.
Apple with no debt and 1.2 billion dollars in the bank wasn’t near bankruptcy at the time, those CEO’s after Jobs did one thing right, they had Apple living with in their means.
What? That has nothing to do with anything. please don't indulge waveparticle's distraction attempt non-sequiturs.
Please do not indulge Crowley's censorship of anybody who doesn't agree with him.
Just a curious question, since the subject seems to be manufacturing in a different country. How much more would you be willing to pay to buy all US manufactured Apple products? 15%, 20%, 30% I am truly just curious.
It’s not about all-US or not. It’s about not feeding totalitarian regimes with an agenda to take over the world at any cost — military force included. And there is in principle nopricethat’s too high to pay to avoid that. So, to satisfy your pragmatic curiosity let’s say 1000%, depending on how imminent the hostile takeover is. For god’s sake wake up. It’s time to pull the tongue out of that Chinese butt hole.
You want to sacrifice tens of thousands US soldiers? This is treason!
First, no one said that. Is that the only solution you can imagine?
Secondly, did you mean the loss of US soldiers on Chinese grounds or on American?
On one hand, I don't blame Apple for threading the needle with the CCP in order to get access to a market with 5 times the population of U.S. But on the other, that's a lot of money and resources that are building Communist China instead of the United States. China is a major competitor, biggest trade partner, and #1 threat to the U.S. all at the same time. Their government's goal is to be the world superpower by 2050. This was a long-term plan started in the 1970's. We dismissed them for decades, thought we "free" trade could liberalize the CCP, and their military was subpar compared to ours. All that has changed in the last 20 years. While we still have a superior military, they have the capability to win a battle (for example, Taiwan) before we can respond with full force. They also have sophisticated enough equipment (planes, missiles, anti-satellite etc.) to give us real problems.
Is there any actual evidence that China is a threat to the U.S. or that they intend to become the world's leading super (military) power -- or is it just more propaganda left over from the Trump era?
We know how that operates: repeat the lies enough times and they becomes the new alternative facts.
That China routinely crosses into Taiwan’s ADIZ with nuclear numbers, builds military installations on manmade islands in international waters, and reneged on its promise to allow self rule in Hong Kong is not enough?
Sherlock, China like the USA (with the red man) was never going to live up to that treaty…Nor will Australia, New Zealand or the Nordic countries with their natives peoples….
Hey, what the h3ll are you talking about. The Nordic countries??? Are you crazy, or are you just making stories up on the way?
Sweden, Norway and Finland are supporting their samer (Laplander) people in every thinkable way: financially, socially, culturally, welfare, free education etc. They also get to keep their land, and even have a court system with exceptions from the country’s national laws.
I know what I’m talking about here, because this happens to be my own direct family heritage!!! I expect nothing less than a retraction of your stupid comment @danox . (You are probably Danish with a group guilt over your Greenlanders.)
Just a curious question, since the subject seems to be manufacturing in a different country. How much more would you be willing to pay to buy all US manufactured Apple products? 15%, 20%, 30% I am truly just curious.
It’s not about all-US or not. It’s about not feeding totalitarian regimes with an agenda to take over the world at any cost — military force included. And there is in principle nopricethat’s too high to pay to avoid that. So, to satisfy your pragmatic curiosity let’s say 1000%, depending on how imminent the hostile takeover is.
To all you speculative daydreamers in this thread: For god’s sake wake up. It’s time to pull the tongue out of that Chinese butt hole.
It was just a question, I had been thinking about for a while and I was only asking it to see what others thought. No more, no less.
Ok, that’s how I perceived your question too. But to give you a little more meat on the bone: It is not easy to immediately give you a figure in absolute numbers. Because as I said, it depends a lot on how imminent the Chinese danger is. The more the buyers feel that threat, the higher price they will be willing to pay. It’s related to some kind of anticipated user experience, and especially the absence of an unpleasant experience. And as always, UX includes the entire life experience that’s associated with the product — directly or indirectly. This is the number one reason we pay premium prices for fair-trade products.
So, the better the seller can explain the values the product will bring to the customer’s life, the more will the buyer be willing to pay. In the case of the iPhone, this has apparently been climbing over the years. In the same way, I believe the perceived value of not feeding your enemies will increase over the years if the enemies keep growing stronger.
Today in 2021, in the US I would guess a good and informative marketing campaign about the Chinese threat could probably increase iPhone buyers price tolerance by a few percent (let’s say 5%). And that could probably continue like that for a few years, until the arguments become weaker than the wallets. But as soon as the threat becomes more real and more easily perceived, and “bullets” start to fly, this tolerance to a price increase will immediately surge. And the consumers will experience a stronger positive return on their investment.
The problem is, if we start this awareness journey too late, the war will be over before we can react. Remember, there is never a better time to prepare for war than in peace. Because when the bullets start to fly it’s way too late. That’s why I tell all the dreamers to wake up. It’s time to see and admit that China is a threat of an entirely new proportion — one that could cost us everything we have and are.
On one hand, I don't blame Apple for threading the needle with the CCP in order to get access to a market with 5 times the population of U.S. But on the other, that's a lot of money and resources that are building Communist China instead of the United States. China is a major competitor, biggest trade partner, and #1 threat to the U.S. all at the same time. Their government's goal is to be the world superpower by 2050. This was a long-term plan started in the 1970's. We dismissed them for decades, thought we "free" trade could liberalize the CCP, and their military was subpar compared to ours. All that has changed in the last 20 years. While we still have a superior military, they have the capability to win a battle (for example, Taiwan) before we can respond with full force. They also have sophisticated enough equipment (planes, missiles, anti-satellite etc.) to give us real problems.
Is there any actual evidence that China is a threat to the U.S. or that they intend to become the world's leading super (military) power -- or is it just more propaganda left over from the Trump era?
We know how that operates: repeat the lies enough times and they becomes the new alternative facts.
It's hard to believe you're for real sometimes.
Actual evidence? China is building hypersonic missiles, anti-satellite and anti-carrier weapons and modernizing it's 2,000,000-strong PLA at a rapid pace. Real-world spending on actual weapons and capabilities approaches our own. Any China expert will tell you China likely spends double what they claim, and that most of it goes to actual capability (whereas much of our budget goes to pay and maintenance). They have an advanced nuclear capability. That doesn't mean they are planning to attack the United States. But it does mean they want to dominate Asia and deny us access. It does mean that if we move to defend Taiwan, it could result in a major, bloody conflict. Economically, they have been waging war for 50 years. They seek to be the global economic and military superpower. They have stated it openly for decades.
This has nothing to do with "propaganda" or Trump. This was going on long before Trump even ran. China has hollowed us out economically and has infiltrated our institutions more than the Soviets ever could have dreamed. Universities. Congress. Finance. Technology. But yeah, let's keep whistling past our own graveyard, because Orange Man Band™.
On one hand, I don't blame Apple for threading the needle with the CCP in order to get access to a market with 5 times the population of U.S. But on the other, that's a lot of money and resources that are building Communist China instead of the United States. China is a major competitor, biggest trade partner, and #1 threat to the U.S. all at the same time. Their government's goal is to be the world superpower by 2050. This was a long-term plan started in the 1970's. We dismissed them for decades, thought we "free" trade could liberalize the CCP, and their military was subpar compared to ours. All that has changed in the last 20 years. While we still have a superior military, they have the capability to win a battle (for example, Taiwan) before we can respond with full force. They also have sophisticated enough equipment (planes, missiles, anti-satellite etc.) to give us real problems.
Is there any actual evidence that China is a threat to the U.S. or that they intend to become the world's leading super (military) power -- or is it just more propaganda left over from the Trump era?
We know how that operates: repeat the lies enough times and they becomes the new alternative facts.
It's hard to believe you're for real sometimes.
Actual evidence? China is building hypersonic missiles, anti-satellite and anti-carrier weapons and modernizing it's 2,000,000-strong PLA at a rapid pace. Real-world spending on actual weapons and capabilities approaches our own. Any China expert will tell you China likely spends double what they claim, and that most of it goes to actual capability (whereas much of our budget goes to pay and maintenance). They have an advanced nuclear capability. That doesn't mean they are planning to attack the United States. But it does mean they want to dominate Asia and deny us access. It does mean that if we move to defend Taiwan, it could result in a major, bloody conflict. Economically, they have been waging war for 50 years. They seek to be the global economic and military superpower. They have stated it openly for decades.
This has nothing to do with "propaganda" or Trump. This was going on long before Trump even ran. China has hollowed us out economically and has infiltrated our institutions more than the Soviets ever could have dreamed. Universities. Congress. Finance. Technology. But yeah, let's keep whistling past our own graveyard, because Orange Man Band™.
Yes, if we try to take what is theirs, they will defend it.
And yes, they don't like U.S. warships and planes threatening them near their homeland and if we push them too far they will sink our silly little boats. They've been clear: they will not allow western countries to colonize or intimidate them again. Ain't gonna happen.
And yes, they beat us in the war of free market capitalism.
... Losing that war to them doesn't make them our enemy anymore than Microsoft is the enemy of Apple.
Does Patrick Mahomes blame Tom Brady for his loss? Does he think Tom Brady is his "enemy"? No, he (hopefully) realizes that he and his team need to get better at what they do.
As I've said, Instead of blaming China for our loss, we need to get better at free market capitalism.
But, we had/have a populist demagogue riling up the frightened disenfranchised chest thumpers looking for excuses for why they lost and offering them quick (but worthless) fixes.
----------------
Added: Interesting that one of our few successful new home grown corporations (Moderna) is opening a new manufacturing plant -- but not here in the U.S. Rather, in Asia (Australia to be exact). Reportedly:
"a second such commitment in Asia Pacific by a western mRNA vaccine
developer, underscores efforts by governments around the world to build
up local production and prepare for future pandemic threats after
limited early access to shots led to slow COVID-19 vaccine rollouts."
Sounds like not even our closest allies trust U.S. industry to meet their needs.
On one hand, I don't blame Apple for threading the needle with the CCP in order to get access to a market with 5 times the population of U.S. But on the other, that's a lot of money and resources that are building Communist China instead of the United States. China is a major competitor, biggest trade partner, and #1 threat to the U.S. all at the same time. Their government's goal is to be the world superpower by 2050. This was a long-term plan started in the 1970's. We dismissed them for decades, thought we "free" trade could liberalize the CCP, and their military was subpar compared to ours. All that has changed in the last 20 years. While we still have a superior military, they have the capability to win a battle (for example, Taiwan) before we can respond with full force. They also have sophisticated enough equipment (planes, missiles, anti-satellite etc.) to give us real problems.
Is there any actual evidence that China is a threat to the U.S. or that they intend to become the world's leading super (military) power -- or is it just more propaganda left over from the Trump era?
We know how that operates: repeat the lies enough times and they becomes the new alternative facts.
It's hard to believe you're for real sometimes.
Actual evidence? China is building hypersonic missiles, anti-satellite and anti-carrier weapons and modernizing it's 2,000,000-strong PLA at a rapid pace. Real-world spending on actual weapons and capabilities approaches our own. Any China expert will tell you China likely spends double what they claim, and that most of it goes to actual capability (whereas much of our budget goes to pay and maintenance). They have an advanced nuclear capability. That doesn't mean they are planning to attack the United States. But it does mean they want to dominate Asia and deny us access. It does mean that if we move to defend Taiwan, it could result in a major, bloody conflict. Economically, they have been waging war for 50 years. They seek to be the global economic and military superpower. They have stated it openly for decades.
This has nothing to do with "propaganda" or Trump. This was going on long before Trump even ran. China has hollowed us out economically and has infiltrated our institutions more than the Soviets ever could have dreamed. Universities. Congress. Finance. Technology. But yeah, let's keep whistling past our own graveyard, because Orange Man Band™.
Yes, if we try to take what is theirs, they will defend it.
And yes, they don't like U.S. warships and planes threatening them near their homeland and if we push them too far they will sink our silly little boats. They've been clear: they will not allow western countries to colonize or intimidate them again. Ain't gonna happen.
And yes, they beat us in the war of free market capitalism.
... Losing that war to them doesn't make them our enemy anymore than Microsoft is the enemy of Apple.
Does Patrick Mahomes blame Tom Brady for his loss? Does he think Tom Brady is his "enemy"? No, he (hopefully) realizes that he and his team need to get better at what they do.
As I've said, Instead of blaming China for our loss, we need to get better at free market capitalism.
But, we had/have a populist demagogue riling up the frightened disenfranchised chest thumpers looking for excuses for why they lost and offering them quick (but worthless) fixes.
----------------
Added: Interesting that one of our few successful new home grown corporations (Moderna) is opening a new manufacturing plant -- but not here in the U.S. Rather, in Asia (Australia to be exact). Reportedly:
"a second such commitment in Asia Pacific by a western mRNA vaccine
developer, underscores efforts by governments around the world to build
up local production and prepare for future pandemic threats after
limited early access to shots led to slow COVID-19 vaccine rollouts."
Sounds like not even our closest allies trust U.S. industry to meet their needs.
Take what is theirs? Do you mean Taiwan? Because Taiwan has never been "theirs," nor are we trying to take it. We're not the ones building islands in the South China Sea and militarizing them. We're not trying to colonize or intimidate them. On the contrary, we've welcomed and encouraged China to become part of the First World. WTO membership, most favored nation status, you name it.
Two things can be true at the same time. We have allowed China to hollow us out economically, absolutely. But China is not engaging in "free market capitalism." They are engaged in CommunoCapitalism, or fascism by another name. The CCP is tyrannical, like all Communists are. What are we prepared to let them do? Are we going to sit back and let them invade Taiwan? Take over the world economically through their Belt and Road initiative? Infiltrate every sector of our society? How long do you think it will be until the CCP decides it's time to take us on directly? And yes, without a posture change, they will. Because that's what tyrants do. Unless we stand up to China, that day will come. China has the capability today to cause us serious harm. If they wanted, they could launch a simultaneous anti-satellite and naval attack that would destroy most of our capability in the Pacific. They could sink 3 aircraft carriers, 20 submarines, and multiple destroyers as well as disrupt the entire GPS system in one day. They could take Taiwan at the same time. The only reason they won't is they currently believe we will bring to bear all our remaining assets, including nuclear weapons. But the more they see our decline, the more international weakness we show, the more their calculations will change. Look at their behavior since the Afghanistan debacle. They (and Russia) are behaving very aggressively. Putin is going to invade Ukraine, and we will likely do nothing. China is going to see that and conclude in short order that it's time to go for Taiwan, and therein lies the road to war. The military and security complex, along with major parts of both political parties will declare China's taking of Taiwan a bridge too far. If the Biden folks are still in office, they will want to avoid being seen as weak. Bingo...the one thing that crowd can do that we can't undo....World War III.
On one hand, I don't blame Apple for threading the needle with the CCP in order to get access to a market with 5 times the population of U.S. But on the other, that's a lot of money and resources that are building Communist China instead of the United States. China is a major competitor, biggest trade partner, and #1 threat to the U.S. all at the same time. Their government's goal is to be the world superpower by 2050. This was a long-term plan started in the 1970's. We dismissed them for decades, thought we "free" trade could liberalize the CCP, and their military was subpar compared to ours. All that has changed in the last 20 years. While we still have a superior military, they have the capability to win a battle (for example, Taiwan) before we can respond with full force. They also have sophisticated enough equipment (planes, missiles, anti-satellite etc.) to give us real problems.
Is there any actual evidence that China is a threat to the U.S. or that they intend to become the world's leading super (military) power -- or is it just more propaganda left over from the Trump era?
We know how that operates: repeat the lies enough times and they becomes the new alternative facts.
It's hard to believe you're for real sometimes.
Actual evidence? China is building hypersonic missiles, anti-satellite and anti-carrier weapons and modernizing it's 2,000,000-strong PLA at a rapid pace. Real-world spending on actual weapons and capabilities approaches our own. Any China expert will tell you China likely spends double what they claim, and that most of it goes to actual capability (whereas much of our budget goes to pay and maintenance). They have an advanced nuclear capability. That doesn't mean they are planning to attack the United States. But it does mean they want to dominate Asia and deny us access. It does mean that if we move to defend Taiwan, it could result in a major, bloody conflict. Economically, they have been waging war for 50 years. They seek to be the global economic and military superpower. They have stated it openly for decades.
This has nothing to do with "propaganda" or Trump. This was going on long before Trump even ran. China has hollowed us out economically and has infiltrated our institutions more than the Soviets ever could have dreamed. Universities. Congress. Finance. Technology. But yeah, let's keep whistling past our own graveyard, because Orange Man Band™.
Yes, if we try to take what is theirs, they will defend it.
And yes, they don't like U.S. warships and planes threatening them near their homeland and if we push them too far they will sink our silly little boats. They've been clear: they will not allow western countries to colonize or intimidate them again. Ain't gonna happen.
And yes, they beat us in the war of free market capitalism.
... Losing that war to them doesn't make them our enemy anymore than Microsoft is the enemy of Apple.
Does Patrick Mahomes blame Tom Brady for his loss? Does he think Tom Brady is his "enemy"? No, he (hopefully) realizes that he and his team need to get better at what they do.
As I've said, Instead of blaming China for our loss, we need to get better at free market capitalism.
But, we had/have a populist demagogue riling up the frightened disenfranchised chest thumpers looking for excuses for why they lost and offering them quick (but worthless) fixes.
----------------
Added: Interesting that one of our few successful new home grown corporations (Moderna) is opening a new manufacturing plant -- but not here in the U.S. Rather, in Asia (Australia to be exact). Reportedly:
"a second such commitment in Asia Pacific by a western mRNA vaccine
developer, underscores efforts by governments around the world to build
up local production and prepare for future pandemic threats after
limited early access to shots led to slow COVID-19 vaccine rollouts."
Sounds like not even our closest allies trust U.S. industry to meet their needs.
Take what is theirs? Do you mean Taiwan? Because Taiwan has never been "theirs," nor are we trying to take it. We're not the ones building islands in the South China Sea and militarizing them. We're not trying to colonize or intimidate them. On the contrary, we've welcomed and encouraged China to become part of the First World. WTO membership, most favored nation status, you name it.
Two things can be true at the same time. We have allowed China to hollow us out economically, absolutely. But China is not engaging in "free market capitalism." They are engaged in CommunoCapitalism, or fascism by another name. The CCP is tyrannical, like all Communists are. What are we prepared to let them do? Are we going to sit back and let them invade Taiwan? Take over the world economically through their Belt and Road initiative? Infiltrate every sector of our society? How long do you think it will be until the CCP decides it's time to take us on directly? And yes, without a posture change, they will. Because that's what tyrants do. Unless we stand up to China, that day will come. China has the capability today to cause us serious harm. If they wanted, they could launch a simultaneous anti-satellite and naval attack that would destroy most of our capability in the Pacific. They could sink 3 aircraft carriers, 20 submarines, and multiple destroyers as well as disrupt the entire GPS system in one day. They could take Taiwan at the same time. The only reason they won't is they currently believe we will bring to bear all our remaining assets, including nuclear weapons. But the more they see our decline, the more international weakness we show, the more their calculations will change. Look at their behavior since the Afghanistan debacle. They (and Russia) are behaving very aggressively. Putin is going to invade Ukraine, and we will likely do nothing. China is going to see that and conclude in short order that it's time to go for Taiwan, and therein lies the road to war. The military and security complex, along with major parts of both political parties will declare China's taking of Taiwan a bridge too far. If the Biden folks are still in office, they will want to avoid being seen as weak. Bingo...the one thing that crowd can do that we can't undo....World War III.
Nonsense! You omitted numerous facts. You are not talking about the truth by omitting facts. Russia has tested hypersonic missiles. This news is not making headlines. India is also developing many weapons.
On one hand, I don't blame Apple for threading the needle with the CCP in order to get access to a market with 5 times the population of U.S. But on the other, that's a lot of money and resources that are building Communist China instead of the United States. China is a major competitor, biggest trade partner, and #1 threat to the U.S. all at the same time. Their government's goal is to be the world superpower by 2050. This was a long-term plan started in the 1970's. We dismissed them for decades, thought we "free" trade could liberalize the CCP, and their military was subpar compared to ours. All that has changed in the last 20 years. While we still have a superior military, they have the capability to win a battle (for example, Taiwan) before we can respond with full force. They also have sophisticated enough equipment (planes, missiles, anti-satellite etc.) to give us real problems.
Is there any actual evidence that China is a threat to the U.S. or that they intend to become the world's leading super (military) power -- or is it just more propaganda left over from the Trump era?
We know how that operates: repeat the lies enough times and they becomes the new alternative facts.
It's hard to believe you're for real sometimes.
Actual evidence? China is building hypersonic missiles, anti-satellite and anti-carrier weapons and modernizing it's 2,000,000-strong PLA at a rapid pace. Real-world spending on actual weapons and capabilities approaches our own. Any China expert will tell you China likely spends double what they claim, and that most of it goes to actual capability (whereas much of our budget goes to pay and maintenance). They have an advanced nuclear capability. That doesn't mean they are planning to attack the United States. But it does mean they want to dominate Asia and deny us access. It does mean that if we move to defend Taiwan, it could result in a major, bloody conflict. Economically, they have been waging war for 50 years. They seek to be the global economic and military superpower. They have stated it openly for decades.
This has nothing to do with "propaganda" or Trump. This was going on long before Trump even ran. China has hollowed us out economically and has infiltrated our institutions more than the Soviets ever could have dreamed. Universities. Congress. Finance. Technology. But yeah, let's keep whistling past our own graveyard, because Orange Man Band™.
Yes, if we try to take what is theirs, they will defend it.
And yes, they don't like U.S. warships and planes threatening them near their homeland and if we push them too far they will sink our silly little boats. They've been clear: they will not allow western countries to colonize or intimidate them again. Ain't gonna happen.
And yes, they beat us in the war of free market capitalism.
... Losing that war to them doesn't make them our enemy anymore than Microsoft is the enemy of Apple.
Does Patrick Mahomes blame Tom Brady for his loss? Does he think Tom Brady is his "enemy"? No, he (hopefully) realizes that he and his team need to get better at what they do.
As I've said, Instead of blaming China for our loss, we need to get better at free market capitalism.
But, we had/have a populist demagogue riling up the frightened disenfranchised chest thumpers looking for excuses for why they lost and offering them quick (but worthless) fixes.
----------------
Added: Interesting that one of our few successful new home grown corporations (Moderna) is opening a new manufacturing plant -- but not here in the U.S. Rather, in Asia (Australia to be exact). Reportedly:
"a second such commitment in Asia Pacific by a western mRNA vaccine
developer, underscores efforts by governments around the world to build
up local production and prepare for future pandemic threats after
limited early access to shots led to slow COVID-19 vaccine rollouts."
Sounds like not even our closest allies trust U.S. industry to meet their needs.
Take what is theirs? Do you mean Taiwan? Because Taiwan has never been "theirs," nor are we trying to take it. We're not the ones building islands in the South China Sea and militarizing them. We're not trying to colonize or intimidate them. On the contrary, we've welcomed and encouraged China to become part of the First World. WTO membership, most favored nation status, you name it.
Two things can be true at the same time. We have allowed China to hollow us out economically, absolutely. But China is not engaging in "free market capitalism." They are engaged in CommunoCapitalism, or fascism by another name. The CCP is tyrannical, like all Communists are. What are we prepared to let them do? Are we going to sit back and let them invade Taiwan? Take over the world economically through their Belt and Road initiative? Infiltrate every sector of our society? How long do you think it will be until the CCP decides it's time to take us on directly? And yes, without a posture change, they will. Because that's what tyrants do. Unless we stand up to China, that day will come. China has the capability today to cause us serious harm. If they wanted, they could launch a simultaneous anti-satellite and naval attack that would destroy most of our capability in the Pacific. They could sink 3 aircraft carriers, 20 submarines, and multiple destroyers as well as disrupt the entire GPS system in one day. They could take Taiwan at the same time. The only reason they won't is they currently believe we will bring to bear all our remaining assets, including nuclear weapons. But the more they see our decline, the more international weakness we show, the more their calculations will change. Look at their behavior since the Afghanistan debacle. They (and Russia) are behaving very aggressively. Putin is going to invade Ukraine, and we will likely do nothing. China is going to see that and conclude in short order that it's time to go for Taiwan, and therein lies the road to war. The military and security complex, along with major parts of both political parties will declare China's taking of Taiwan a bridge too far. If the Biden folks are still in office, they will want to avoid being seen as weak. Bingo...the one thing that crowd can do that we can't undo....World War III.
Nonsense! You omitted numerous facts. You are not talking about the truth by omitting facts. Russia has tested hypersonic missiles. This news is not making headlines. India is also developing many weapons.
I see the CCP has its paid trolls active today.
1. We were discussing China, not all countries which are developing advanced weapons. 2. Russia is not run by Communists anymore, and doesn't represent half the threat to the U.S. that China does. 3. India is a parliamentary democracy and an ally. It is nowhere near as aggressive as China militarily or economically.
On one hand, I don't blame Apple for threading the needle with the CCP in order to get access to a market with 5 times the population of U.S. But on the other, that's a lot of money and resources that are building Communist China instead of the United States. China is a major competitor, biggest trade partner, and #1 threat to the U.S. all at the same time. Their government's goal is to be the world superpower by 2050. This was a long-term plan started in the 1970's. We dismissed them for decades, thought we "free" trade could liberalize the CCP, and their military was subpar compared to ours. All that has changed in the last 20 years. While we still have a superior military, they have the capability to win a battle (for example, Taiwan) before we can respond with full force. They also have sophisticated enough equipment (planes, missiles, anti-satellite etc.) to give us real problems.
Is there any actual evidence that China is a threat to the U.S. or that they intend to become the world's leading super (military) power -- or is it just more propaganda left over from the Trump era?
We know how that operates: repeat the lies enough times and they becomes the new alternative facts.
It's hard to believe you're for real sometimes.
Actual evidence? China is building hypersonic missiles, anti-satellite and anti-carrier weapons and modernizing it's 2,000,000-strong PLA at a rapid pace. Real-world spending on actual weapons and capabilities approaches our own. Any China expert will tell you China likely spends double what they claim, and that most of it goes to actual capability (whereas much of our budget goes to pay and maintenance). They have an advanced nuclear capability. That doesn't mean they are planning to attack the United States. But it does mean they want to dominate Asia and deny us access. It does mean that if we move to defend Taiwan, it could result in a major, bloody conflict. Economically, they have been waging war for 50 years. They seek to be the global economic and military superpower. They have stated it openly for decades.
This has nothing to do with "propaganda" or Trump. This was going on long before Trump even ran. China has hollowed us out economically and has infiltrated our institutions more than the Soviets ever could have dreamed. Universities. Congress. Finance. Technology. But yeah, let's keep whistling past our own graveyard, because Orange Man Band™.
Yes, if we try to take what is theirs, they will defend it.
And yes, they don't like U.S. warships and planes threatening them near their homeland and if we push them too far they will sink our silly little boats. They've been clear: they will not allow western countries to colonize or intimidate them again. Ain't gonna happen.
And yes, they beat us in the war of free market capitalism.
... Losing that war to them doesn't make them our enemy anymore than Microsoft is the enemy of Apple.
Does Patrick Mahomes blame Tom Brady for his loss? Does he think Tom Brady is his "enemy"? No, he (hopefully) realizes that he and his team need to get better at what they do.
As I've said, Instead of blaming China for our loss, we need to get better at free market capitalism.
But, we had/have a populist demagogue riling up the frightened disenfranchised chest thumpers looking for excuses for why they lost and offering them quick (but worthless) fixes.
----------------
Added: Interesting that one of our few successful new home grown corporations (Moderna) is opening a new manufacturing plant -- but not here in the U.S. Rather, in Asia (Australia to be exact). Reportedly:
"a second such commitment in Asia Pacific by a western mRNA vaccine
developer, underscores efforts by governments around the world to build
up local production and prepare for future pandemic threats after
limited early access to shots led to slow COVID-19 vaccine rollouts."
Sounds like not even our closest allies trust U.S. industry to meet their needs.
Take what is theirs? Do you mean Taiwan? Because Taiwan has never been "theirs," nor are we trying to take it. We're not the ones building islands in the South China Sea and militarizing them. We're not trying to colonize or intimidate them. On the contrary, we've welcomed and encouraged China to become part of the First World. WTO membership, most favored nation status, you name it.
Two things can be true at the same time. We have allowed China to hollow us out economically, absolutely. But China is not engaging in "free market capitalism." They are engaged in CommunoCapitalism, or fascism by another name. The CCP is tyrannical, like all Communists are. What are we prepared to let them do? Are we going to sit back and let them invade Taiwan? Take over the world economically through their Belt and Road initiative? Infiltrate every sector of our society? How long do you think it will be until the CCP decides it's time to take us on directly? And yes, without a posture change, they will. Because that's what tyrants do. Unless we stand up to China, that day will come. China has the capability today to cause us serious harm. If they wanted, they could launch a simultaneous anti-satellite and naval attack that would destroy most of our capability in the Pacific. They could sink 3 aircraft carriers, 20 submarines, and multiple destroyers as well as disrupt the entire GPS system in one day. They could take Taiwan at the same time. The only reason they won't is they currently believe we will bring to bear all our remaining assets, including nuclear weapons. But the more they see our decline, the more international weakness we show, the more their calculations will change. Look at their behavior since the Afghanistan debacle. They (and Russia) are behaving very aggressively. Putin is going to invade Ukraine, and we will likely do nothing. China is going to see that and conclude in short order that it's time to go for Taiwan, and therein lies the road to war. The military and security complex, along with major parts of both political parties will declare China's taking of Taiwan a bridge too far. If the Biden folks are still in office, they will want to avoid being seen as weak. Bingo...the one thing that crowd can do that we can't undo....World War III.
Nonsense! You omitted numerous facts. You are not talking about the truth by omitting facts. Russia has tested hypersonic missiles. This news is not making headlines. India is also developing many weapons.
I see the CCP has its paid trolls active today.
1. We were discussing China, not all countries which are developing advanced weapons. 2. Russia is not run by Communists anymore, and doesn't represent half the threat to the U.S. that China does. 3. India is a parliamentary democracy and an ally. It is nowhere near as aggressive as China militarily or economically.
All false! Your allegation of paid troll is a flagrant lie!
On one hand, I don't blame Apple for threading the needle with the CCP in order to get access to a market with 5 times the population of U.S. But on the other, that's a lot of money and resources that are building Communist China instead of the United States. China is a major competitor, biggest trade partner, and #1 threat to the U.S. all at the same time. Their government's goal is to be the world superpower by 2050. This was a long-term plan started in the 1970's. We dismissed them for decades, thought we "free" trade could liberalize the CCP, and their military was subpar compared to ours. All that has changed in the last 20 years. While we still have a superior military, they have the capability to win a battle (for example, Taiwan) before we can respond with full force. They also have sophisticated enough equipment (planes, missiles, anti-satellite etc.) to give us real problems.
Is there any actual evidence that China is a threat to the U.S. or that they intend to become the world's leading super (military) power -- or is it just more propaganda left over from the Trump era?
We know how that operates: repeat the lies enough times and they becomes the new alternative facts.
It's hard to believe you're for real sometimes.
Actual evidence? China is building hypersonic missiles, anti-satellite and anti-carrier weapons and modernizing it's 2,000,000-strong PLA at a rapid pace. Real-world spending on actual weapons and capabilities approaches our own. Any China expert will tell you China likely spends double what they claim, and that most of it goes to actual capability (whereas much of our budget goes to pay and maintenance). They have an advanced nuclear capability. That doesn't mean they are planning to attack the United States. But it does mean they want to dominate Asia and deny us access. It does mean that if we move to defend Taiwan, it could result in a major, bloody conflict. Economically, they have been waging war for 50 years. They seek to be the global economic and military superpower. They have stated it openly for decades.
This has nothing to do with "propaganda" or Trump. This was going on long before Trump even ran. China has hollowed us out economically and has infiltrated our institutions more than the Soviets ever could have dreamed. Universities. Congress. Finance. Technology. But yeah, let's keep whistling past our own graveyard, because Orange Man Band™.
Yes, if we try to take what is theirs, they will defend it.
And yes, they don't like U.S. warships and planes threatening them near their homeland and if we push them too far they will sink our silly little boats. They've been clear: they will not allow western countries to colonize or intimidate them again. Ain't gonna happen.
And yes, they beat us in the war of free market capitalism.
... Losing that war to them doesn't make them our enemy anymore than Microsoft is the enemy of Apple.
Does Patrick Mahomes blame Tom Brady for his loss? Does he think Tom Brady is his "enemy"? No, he (hopefully) realizes that he and his team need to get better at what they do.
As I've said, Instead of blaming China for our loss, we need to get better at free market capitalism.
But, we had/have a populist demagogue riling up the frightened disenfranchised chest thumpers looking for excuses for why they lost and offering them quick (but worthless) fixes.
----------------
Added: Interesting that one of our few successful new home grown corporations (Moderna) is opening a new manufacturing plant -- but not here in the U.S. Rather, in Asia (Australia to be exact). Reportedly:
"a second such commitment in Asia Pacific by a western mRNA vaccine
developer, underscores efforts by governments around the world to build
up local production and prepare for future pandemic threats after
limited early access to shots led to slow COVID-19 vaccine rollouts."
Sounds like not even our closest allies trust U.S. industry to meet their needs.
Take what is theirs? Do you mean Taiwan? Because Taiwan has never been "theirs," nor are we trying to take it. We're not the ones building islands in the South China Sea and militarizing them. We're not trying to colonize or intimidate them. On the contrary, we've welcomed and encouraged China to become part of the First World. WTO membership, most favored nation status, you name it.
Two things can be true at the same time. We have allowed China to hollow us out economically, absolutely. But China is not engaging in "free market capitalism." They are engaged in CommunoCapitalism, or fascism by another name. The CCP is tyrannical, like all Communists are. What are we prepared to let them do? Are we going to sit back and let them invade Taiwan? Take over the world economically through their Belt and Road initiative? Infiltrate every sector of our society? How long do you think it will be until the CCP decides it's time to take us on directly? And yes, without a posture change, they will. Because that's what tyrants do. Unless we stand up to China, that day will come. China has the capability today to cause us serious harm. If they wanted, they could launch a simultaneous anti-satellite and naval attack that would destroy most of our capability in the Pacific. They could sink 3 aircraft carriers, 20 submarines, and multiple destroyers as well as disrupt the entire GPS system in one day. They could take Taiwan at the same time. The only reason they won't is they currently believe we will bring to bear all our remaining assets, including nuclear weapons. But the more they see our decline, the more international weakness we show, the more their calculations will change. Look at their behavior since the Afghanistan debacle. They (and Russia) are behaving very aggressively. Putin is going to invade Ukraine, and we will likely do nothing. China is going to see that and conclude in short order that it's time to go for Taiwan, and therein lies the road to war. The military and security complex, along with major parts of both political parties will declare China's taking of Taiwan a bridge too far. If the Biden folks are still in office, they will want to avoid being seen as weak. Bingo...the one thing that crowd can do that we can't undo....World War III.
Nonsense! You omitted numerous facts. You are not talking about the truth by omitting facts. Russia has tested hypersonic missiles. This news is not making headlines. India is also developing many weapons.
I see the CCP has its paid trolls active today.
1. We were discussing China, not all countries which are developing advanced weapons. 2. Russia is not run by Communists anymore, and doesn't represent half the threat to the U.S. that China does. 3. India is a parliamentary democracy and an ally. It is nowhere near as aggressive as China militarily or economically.
All false! Your allegation of paid troll is a flagrant lie!
Like the rest of his arguments: it's bullshit -- but it's all he has.
Comments
You don't see the Chinese walking around with AR15s, promoting white nationalism, and attempting to overthrow the government.
The idea of liberalizing China is stupid and impossible to finish. Remember that everything existing is for a reason. The Chinese youth hold completely different ideology views over their same-ages in EU or US. The Rasism and Communist-Socialism view is evenly held, last one might be a little overtaken. The liberals in China is minority in the minority. Suffering from more original Capitalism inside China, the youth and 80s are dispiriting from long working times(12+ hrs per day), low income(one-third of US) and high house prices(Greater than most major cities). The ones on the top in China don’t care, don’t wanna improve any. So the entire society is going left, way left. Although they’re different in terms of view(youth), but they all see the shortcomings and flexible inside the Chinese system. Some of them believe that with a complete theory of Socialism and Karl Marx, and an opportunity, that China can become a country realizing full welfare-distribution and a Market-to-AI Commanded Shift in economy, and they can have a way to bypass both totalitarian and stupid-democracy system that elected Trump or Hitler. As I can tell, it is pretty much like committee system in North EU. They do have a different theory. Pretty much the bottom line of the growing leftists in China is Bernie-like.
And I have to stress that the rumors about China are mostly exaggerated. The Peng Story might be real but the others might not be… The conditions in China is better than Russia, at least.
Apple is representing the future of corporate, that corporate is built on the international relations, not on a risky separate country that may be defeated in future.
Well said. But I doubt that anybody in China (from the top to the bottom) expects the Marxist ideal of "full welfare-distribution". China has embraced capitalism while retaining socialist underpinnings. And what is becoming clear with all the recent restrictions is that they feel that capitalist organizations are there to serve society rather than the western model of society serving capitalism and capitalists. Also, they do not appear to expect or want everyone to be equal financially. Rather, they want to eliminate the abject poverty (without penalizing the rich and successful) that their people have lived under -- and in that, they have mostly succeeded. Here in the west, socialists often think socialism should use the Robinhood model of wealth redistribution -- and perhaps that is necessary since often the poor have nobody on their side to help lift them out of the poverty they suffer under.
Please do not indulge Crowley's censorship of anybody who doesn't agree with him.
Secondly, did you mean the loss of US soldiers on Chinese grounds or on American?
Sweden, Norway and Finland are supporting their samer (Laplander) people in every thinkable way: financially, socially, culturally, welfare, free education etc. They also get to keep their land, and even have a court system with exceptions from the country’s national laws.
I know what I’m talking about here, because this happens to be my own direct family heritage!!! I expect nothing less than a retraction of your stupid comment @danox . (You are probably Danish with a group guilt over your Greenlanders.)
So, the better the seller can explain the values the product will bring to the customer’s life, the more will the buyer be willing to pay. In the case of the iPhone, this has apparently been climbing over the years. In the same way, I believe the perceived value of not feeding your enemies will increase over the years if the enemies keep growing stronger.
Today in 2021, in the US I would guess a good and informative marketing campaign about the Chinese threat could probably increase iPhone buyers price tolerance by a few percent (let’s say 5%). And that could probably continue like that for a few years, until the arguments become weaker than the wallets. But as soon as the threat becomes more real and more easily perceived, and “bullets” start to fly, this tolerance to a price increase will immediately surge. And the consumers will experience a stronger positive return on their investment.
The problem is, if we start this awareness journey too late, the war will be over before we can react. Remember, there is never a better time to prepare for war than in peace. Because when the bullets start to fly it’s way too late. That’s why I tell all the dreamers to wake up. It’s time to see and admit that China is a threat of an entirely new proportion — one that could cost us everything we have and are.
It's hard to believe you're for real sometimes.
Actual evidence? China is building hypersonic missiles, anti-satellite and anti-carrier weapons and modernizing it's 2,000,000-strong PLA at a rapid pace. Real-world spending on actual weapons and capabilities approaches our own. Any China expert will tell you China likely spends double what they claim, and that most of it goes to actual capability (whereas much of our budget goes to pay and maintenance). They have an advanced nuclear capability. That doesn't mean they are planning to attack the United States. But it does mean they want to dominate Asia and deny us access. It does mean that if we move to defend Taiwan, it could result in a major, bloody conflict. Economically, they have been waging war for 50 years. They seek to be the global economic and military superpower. They have stated it openly for decades.
This has nothing to do with "propaganda" or Trump. This was going on long before Trump even ran. China has hollowed us out economically and has infiltrated our institutions more than the Soviets ever could have dreamed. Universities. Congress. Finance. Technology. But yeah, let's keep whistling past our own graveyard, because Orange Man Band™.
Two things can be true at the same time. We have allowed China to hollow us out economically, absolutely. But China is not engaging in "free market capitalism." They are engaged in CommunoCapitalism, or fascism by another name. The CCP is tyrannical, like all Communists are. What are we prepared to let them do? Are we going to sit back and let them invade Taiwan? Take over the world economically through their Belt and Road initiative? Infiltrate every sector of our society? How long do you think it will be until the CCP decides it's time to take us on directly? And yes, without a posture change, they will. Because that's what tyrants do. Unless we stand up to China, that day will come. China has the capability today to cause us serious harm. If they wanted, they could launch a simultaneous anti-satellite and naval attack that would destroy most of our capability in the Pacific. They could sink 3 aircraft carriers, 20 submarines, and multiple destroyers as well as disrupt the entire GPS system in one day. They could take Taiwan at the same time. The only reason they won't is they currently believe we will bring to bear all our remaining assets, including nuclear weapons. But the more they see our decline, the more international weakness we show, the more their calculations will change. Look at their behavior since the Afghanistan debacle. They (and Russia) are behaving very aggressively. Putin is going to invade Ukraine, and we will likely do nothing. China is going to see that and conclude in short order that it's time to go for Taiwan, and therein lies the road to war. The military and security complex, along with major parts of both political parties will declare China's taking of Taiwan a bridge too far. If the Biden folks are still in office, they will want to avoid being seen as weak. Bingo...the one thing that crowd can do that we can't undo....World War III.
1. We were discussing China, not all countries which are developing advanced weapons.
2. Russia is not run by Communists anymore, and doesn't represent half the threat to the U.S. that China does.
3. India is a parliamentary democracy and an ally. It is nowhere near as aggressive as China militarily or economically.
Like the rest of his arguments: it's bullshit -- but it's all he has.