How President Xi’s bungling has devastated China’s military capabilities

American Thinker ^ | 02/18/2020 | David Archibald

[SeekAndFind]

There is a lot written about China these days and most of it is correct in describing that country as nasty, aggressive and a threat to civilization. President Xi wants to be emperor of the whole world and could see a path to achieving that. But he has kicked a couple of own goals that will help preclude that from happening.

Xi’s first own goal was to suppress privately owned business activity in favour of state-owned companies. Workers in state-owned companies have about a third of the productivity of those in businesses run by their private owners. Beyond that, his directive suppresses the animal spirits of the private sector. As to why Xi did that, private businesses are separate sources of power and thus potential threats to communist control. Communist leaders will choose security for themselves over prosperity for others every time.

His second own goal was to delay the news of the coronavirus until after the trade deal was signed with the United States. Xi did not want to show any sign of weakness while the deal was being negotiated. China’s relative position had been deteriorating since 2015 when its share of world exports peaked at about 15%. Trump wanted a trade deal because he would like China to remain stable through the election cycle. The language of the trade deal included a lot of “China shall” indicating that China needed the deal more than Trump did. We infer that the anti-China efforts will be ramped up again after the election.

The first coronavirus case was reported on December 1, 2019 and the trade deal was signed on January 15, 2020. Wuhan was put under quarantine lockdown eight days later on January 23. In the meantime some five million people left Wuhan,

[SeekAndFind]

The PLA can’t attack anyone until there is a vaccine for the corona virus. It’sbeen reported that the PLA pulled out of Wuhan after 3,000 of their troops became sick. Collecting dead bodies is now on a bounty system, similar to how bodies were collected in Europe during the plague.

Another ironic outcome from the corona virus is that it should, in a rationale world, eliminate China from the world’s supply chains. It might be good for a couple of million jobs in the United States alone.

[clamper1797]

Gee ... what an awful shame ...

[pepsionice]

While all this virus stuff was roaming around in mid-to-late December....the CIA didn’t ‘notice’ anything? Even by the end of the first week of January....it would seem like something should have been obvious.

[Red Badger]

I worry about ‘stuff’ made in China and shipped here.....................

[brownsfan]

The human cost is tragic. Having said that, I am thrilled that American business is getting a lesson regarding producing outside of America. I envisioned a limited war that would cause disruption. This is gentler, and just as illustrative.

[brownsfan]

“While all this virus stuff was roaming around in mid-to-late December....the CIA didn’t ‘notice’ anything? “

They really don’t have time for such nonsense. They have a president to undermine.

[The Pack Knight]

There are pseudo-intellectuals on both sides of the aisle who admire autocratic regimes like China’s because they supposedly allow a wise ruler to govern rationally and scientifically without the burden of frustrating complications like elections and politics. In fact, such regimes just expose the public more directly to the idiocy of their rulers.

As stupid as politics in a democratic society may seem, just remember that they often protect us from something even dumber.

[null and void]

Collecting dead bodies is now on a bounty system, similar to how bodies were collected in Europe during the plague.

You rang?

Bring Out Your Dead

Post to me or FReep mail to be on/off the Bring Out Your Dead ping list.

The purpose of the “Bring Out Your Dead” ping list (formerly the “Ebola” ping list) is very early warning of emerging pandemics, as such it has a high false positive rate.

So far the false positive rate is 100%.

At some point we may well have a high mortality pandemic, and likely as not the “Bring Out Your Dead” threads will miss the beginning entirely.

*sigh* Such is life, and death...

If a quarantine saves just one child's life, it's worth it.

[RoseofTexas]

They were too busy hating on the president to notice or they did know but secretly they were hoping trump would’ve caught it!! The swamp is EVIIIILLL!!

[Spktyr]

Companies worldwide shouldn’t just be getting a lesson about producing in China, they should be learning that you don’t single-source *anything* if you can avoid it.

Best part about this is that China can’t blame American aggression, dishonest dealing or anything else for companies pulling out now - it’s all about the virus and their handling of it.

[Da Coyote]

“While all this virus stuff was roaming around in mid-to-late December....the CIA didn’t ‘notice’ anything?”

The CIA is still 100% devoted to finding made up stuff about Trump.

Along with the FBI and the IRS.

Corruption incorporated.

[Timocrat]

Companies worldwide shouldn’t just be getting a lesson about producing in China, they should be learning that you don’t single-source *anything* if you can avoid it.

This. +1000

[setter]

“Companies worldwide shouldn’t just be getting a lesson about producing in China, they should be learning that you don’t single-source *anything* if you can avoid it.”

When all of this blows over these companies will go back to China in a second if China offers $$ incentives.

[Spktyr]

Possibly not - China is going to be bleeding from this for a while.

China’s labor expenses have recently been skyrocketing - so much so that China was outsourcing to other Asian countries and Africa. Losing several million workers is not going to make that better.

At this point, a lot of companies are realizing that there *are* these other countries to move to (HP is making laser printers in Vietnam now) that don’t do things like Tienanmen Square (which China was thinking about doing in Hong Kong) and will quite cheerfully accept outside money. And they don’t have to go through China to set up facilities.

[Spktyr]

Especially in this day and age of the hordes of flexible contract manufacturers.

[Bubba Ho-Tep]

At this point, a lot of companies are realizing that there *are* these other countries to move to (HP is making laser printers in Vietnam now) that don’t do things like Tienanmen Square (which China was thinking about doing in Hong Kong) and will quite cheerfully accept outside money. And they don’t have to go through China to set up facilities.

The problem is that no one has the capacity that China does. I know of one company that's trying to move production to Vietnam, but they're having a hard time getting time on the factory lines. And you can't just throw up a factory in a couple of weeks.

[Spktyr]

This is true, but our own country as well as others around the world are starting to spool up too. China is not the bargain it once was.

[AndyJackson]

Workers in state-owned companies have about a third of the productivity of those in businesses run by their private owners

Productivity is not a public sector "good" that anyone much cares about. Lot's of other things come ahead of it. For a private company, however, productivity produces the revenue that allows you to invest and grow the business.

[WKUHilltopper]

Winnie the Pooh...