Just a question, why can't you say Chinese people? We are all people. I'm assuming English isn't your first language, so I'm not going to harp on this.
That is correct. Its technically my third language. Learning German now as a forth language. And somewhere in between a small amount of Mandarin.
I've never been to China, I've been to South Korea, lived there for 11 months, I've been to Japan, Tokyo. I have close friends who lived in China teaching English, to Chinese people. They loved it over there, and found coming back to the US a very difficult process as they had to literally re-westernize themselves.
I have no problems with the people of China. What I have problems with is the government, the lacking regulations on the environment, the fact they are damming beautiful rivers to provide power to these cities where everyone now wants to live. All dams fail over time, and messing with the biosphere to produce energy and goods is not the correct answer to the growing needs for energy. They also sensor the internet and people who speak out against authority can disappear in a prison which is sad (also happens in America, ask Bradley Manning or anyone in Gitmo).
The environment problem is slowly, very slowly becoming a priority for the government here. Its gotten so bad in China, that the government was not able to look away anymore.
The problem for the government is, they are a bit like America. Industry first, nature second. But because of there rapid development in a very short time, this effect is much much worse.
There are massive projects going on, to replant tree's everywhere. If you drive around, you see everywhere your tree's have been planted. Massive area's.
But to clean up the current mess ... going to take 2 generations. Beijing, Shanghai are beautiful cities, but when you go outside of those cities. Dully, desert like. Pollution everywhere. Small ditches for water drainage, filled with empty plastic bottles. Trash on the streets.
For any Western person, European or American, it is a big shock when you leave the big cities.
I know how people jump up, and are outraged how people only earn 200€ in Foxconn factories, while being worked to dead. But, willing or not, those people actually earn more working at that slave labor, then they will ever earn in the country side. That is a unfortunate reality.
You need to admit, justice in China is swift! When you see in Europe how Criminals can go out, kill somebody, get "life", and in 7 years time, they get out of Jail. Our jails are so full, that anybody with a jail time less then 3 years, in general goes free. And let me point out, that 90% of the population in our jails, are not "Western" people. I know, sounds a bit racist, but its true. In China, with the dead penalty, if the family of the Victim does not forgive you, and you show no remorse, after 1 year in Jail = you are dead. No 15 or 25 year appealing the courts.
Of course the flip side of the coin is, when you are considered a Enemy of the State... Its more easy to end up in Jail.
The problem why the harsh punishment don't solve the crime in China, is because the people have a different mentality. We think: "We are going to get caught" , so we don't do a crime or are more limited. In China a lot of people think: "I will never get caught". Totally different attitude. Its not just China...
Sure there is an abundance of jobs and opportunites in the cities there, but just because a dollar or Euro buys more there, is not an excuse for everything to be produced there. Look at the cases for the Pandora that have been assembled there, it literally took over a year for this project to get cases that were adequate after months of waiting 4-8 weeks at a time for a revision.
This is partly there own fault. Rule number 1 doing business with China: ALWAYS go on location, to inspect the product, and adjust the manufacturing process. This was a major flaw, not being there in person, to give instruction. What cost you a year, you where able to do in a month. Because of the long distance relation, they misused this ( and this is not exactly uncommon ). Even the Chinese "People" know this from each other.
There is a major difference in attitude compared to Western people. And Western People make the mistake, that it will be the same in China as in Europe. Wrong, big mistake.
It's pretty sad that things "have" to be produced there like the case, or the batteries, or the LCD in order to compete with current market practices and keep costs within reason for average consumers. The interesting thing is that this project is bringing jobs back to the western world in some respects, as well as the iControlPad. Its just easier to pay more for things produced locally than to be left wondering whats happening to a project outsourced.
The fact that so much is produced there, is actually our own fault. Don't know about the US, but in Europa the taxes are killing the market. Companies move to East Europe, China, and other location for manufacturing. Its not because they want to, but because the taxes are just too much. China has the corruption problem, but we have way to much misuse of our social systems. And wast in our structures.
My concern is not jobs in China, my concern is jobs in my country, America. Why are corporate profits increasing but goods are not getting cheaper? Why does an iPad cost €739 Euro? How can Apple be making so much profit on these goods?
If the Chinese ever want their investments back from America, meaning what they've invested into the sham Federal Reserve, maybe they should start outsourcing jobs to America, or finding a way for American's to support their products by fixing them rather than throwing them away when they are broken. Eventually this is all going to fail globally (or is in the process of failing since 2008) as the big companies continue to hoard profits for themselves, they don't pay taxes in America, they don't hire American people. The rich get richer, the poor are getting poorer. That's the basis for my arguement. People will argue, its capitalism, that how it the system works. Look at the PIGS, Portugal, Italy, Greece, & Spain, you can throw Mexico into that mix too, as these countries are failing economically as well. But if you dig a little deeper and see what the bankers have done in these countries and the right wing governments, they are cutting programs left and right that help people, just like what's happening in America.
Our schools have become a breeding ground for a graduating student in the National Honors Society to be a sophomore in college, and not understand how interest works on money. I think I learned how to do that type of math in 7th or 8th grade, and I knew what interest was before that because I had a savings account that got 5% a year when I was a kid. Standardized testing and academics are just a precursor to being a good consumer.
My girlfriend works for a city that is cutting employees left and right to save money, because they have no money, little job growth. This is one city in America, unfortunately, most of the country is fiscally bankrupt, locally, at the state level, and of course the Federal Reserve is happy to do what needs to be done short term to change the worlds focus as CONgress agrees on nothing to help the situation. This happens because there are no jobs, and over a billion people in China who are willing to work for less, or India, or the Phillipines, etc. I'll find it interesting when there are teams of Chinese people coming to America to build roads and fix bridges because it is cheaper than paying someone in America to do the job. People in America made more money in the 1950s and 60s compared to what a dollar buys someone today. And what that dollar buys if you are talking about food, isn't necessarily worth consuming unless its your only choice. Ever been to downtown Atlanta and tried to find food that will nourish you, not just make you fatter?
Unfortunately, the military industrial complex that controls the media, the government, and the people of the rest of the world, has its own agenda. And now the Chinese realize in order to protect themselves, they need to build better planes, a navy, and an infrastructure based on defense, not just supporting the "free" markets of the world. America would not win a war against China, but let me tell you this, the puppet masters would sure like some more money in their pockets for taking on the job of building more guns, planes, and missles in case the Communists decide to come looking for their money.
What will happen to China when the rest of the world doesn't have money to buy the goods they are producing? Its just a matter of time.
I can give you 100, maybe 1000 examples of things that are done badly in Europe, mostly because of political decisions. That has cost our competitiveness. Notice how i said, "has", reality is, we have already gone past the limit.
Last week, in Belgium for instance, there was a strike. The Belgian operators ( they guide the Ships into the Antwerp Port ), had gone on strike ( about 30 people ). End result was, massive amount of ships where unable to leave or enter the port. The reason for the strike? They wanted the bonuses they get, also count for there pension. Please take a note: they are public servants, who earn somewhere between 3500 to 5000€ / month. Average wages in the country, are more around 1000€ / month. Because of there selfishness, it cost the harbor 1 Million Euro / Hour ( for 3 full days ). Most people where outraged. The biggest Cargo Company MSC ( does 50 to 60% of the ports traffic ) who where already evaluating there position to possibly leave, counted this as another black mark ( reason for not staying in Antwerp anymore ).
If you see this happening, how public servants ( they are part of the state ), for trying to get a even bigger pension ( with there income, they will have a massive pension. Also public servants here pension is much bigger then private workers ). Its only logical that we lost our competitiveness.
People put the blame on China, and other countries for take "our" jobs, but in reality, the blame is also with us. And mostly with those that make the decisions. Unions, Politicians, etc ... They are so focused on there own positions, that the end result is, that we lost our competitiveness.
You can consider the Chinese Government Corrupt, Dictatorial, but they do get things done. Personally, i will not count the Chinese Government as Communistic. For instance, with the benefits that are in place, we are actually way more "Socialistic" then the Chinese Government. I'm amazed at how bad there Social Support structure is, while this is the cornerstone of the Communistic "idea". Karl Marx probably turned around a few times in his grave, as to what his ideal has become.
In my opinion, the moved from Hardcore "Communism" to a mix of Communism / Capitalism, in a massive short time.
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The Apple debate, its a brand product, with the correct marketing, ... There profit levels are extreme, but its also our own fault for accepting those prices. If people said no to those prices, and stopped buying the product, you will see Apple drop there prices FAST. But its on logical for the Pandora think they are in the same league as Apple. There products are not bad. They are actually always innovating, moving products out, that other companies where not able to, or just did not belief. That is what drives Apple. They belief in a idea, and they push it out with all force and believe. The iPad ... many had tried before with ideas like that, but its Apple that really created this market.
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Anyway, long discussion... In the end, you and me, we can not do anything about it...
