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This just in! Gee, I'm not trying to upset the friends of the Chi-com like Sen. Feinstein and husband Richard Blum, talk show hosts, and various Freepers, but..

"Yesterday, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative filed a complaint with the World Trade Organization (WTO) over China's policy of adding a 17% value-added tax (VAT) to chips that are made here but sold in China. Local Chinese makers pay no more than 6% in VAT fees."

OK. Big deal. Big WAPI! Who cares?

WAPI?

"Wired Authentication and Privacy Infrastructure, WAPI is a standard endorsed by the Chinese government for making chips for wireless Internet devices."

All the quotes are from "America's Chip Crusade," Investor's Business Daily, by Tim Beyers, March 19, 2004. Mr. Beyers reveals

"Unfortunately, the documentation for making WAPI-compliant chips is only available to Chinese companies, all but forcing U.S. communications chip suppliers such as Agere Systems (NYSE: AGR.A), Broadcom (Nasdaq: BRCM), Motorola (NYSE: MOT), and PMC-Sierra (Nasdaq: PMCS) to share their intellectual property with local firms to get a cut of the business. Intel (Nasdaq: INTC) has threatened to stop shipping wireless chips to China if WAPI rules aren't changed."

Forces our firms to share their intellectual property with local [Chinese] firms to get a cut of the business. It's only fa-a-a-a-a-air, right radio hosts of America and (some) fellow Freepers?

We've got to sha-a-a-a-a-air with the developing nations don't we?