4/05/2024

Trump's little brain versus China's long term plans

 During the Trump administration, EVs, solar panels and wind turbines were demonized by Donald Trump himself, because they were starting to be dominated by China and USA and Europe were falling behind.

Trump had claimed that wind turbines were killing birds, the most ridiculous reason of all reasons (could be killing his bird). Trump also warned EV buyers that he will punish those buying them, in other words punishing Tesla too. And tariffs were slapped on solar panels mostly from China. What did these all achieve in the end? It slowed USA's progression towards renewable energy, and it fell behind China with another self-inflicted mistake.

Then Donal Trump was all for expanding USA's oil exploration, fracking and further investments in big oil, probably the biggest lobby contributing to his Presidential campaign in 2016.

Despite the onslaught, China persevered, resisted and expanded production and did not fall for Trump's political gamesmanship. China is today not only the dominant player in EVs, solar panels and wind turbines, but also controls the raw materials for their manufacturing such as rare earths, lithium, graphite and steel production among others.

China's domination does not come about by chance. Chinese leaders always look far ahead, 20 to 30 years ahead, betting on those sectors that have the biggest potential for growth and took control of the source of raw materials available and building up its refining capabilities, that nobody thought necessary to challenge. And now the USA and the West have lost the plot and are trying to play catch up. Catching up is now difficult, or should I be blunt and say impossible, so they are resorting to what they do best to pull others down to their level - sanctioning, demonizing, erecting barriers, increasing tariffs, roping in allies to set up alliances, all with the objective of stifling China.

And of all things, Janet Yellen is warning China not to increase industrialization further, which will make it more difficult for the USA and the West to pull closer. Good try Janet, just like the oil price cap that she came up with.

Anonymous

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Geriatric Biden senile already. Still got brain meh?

Anonymous said...

Agree, Biden is gone in the head. Trump is going the same way too. That should balance out in terms of mental capacity for the USA voters to decide. Who are they going to choose? Between the devil and the deep blue sea it is. Or between a rock and a hard place. Hobson' choice really,

Anonymous said...

It had been a Hobson's choice actually for voters in many elections in the USA. But they still believe their vote is a sign of democracy at work.

Anonymous said...

IN US, a rapist can become President !

Anonymous said...

Trump killed off USA's EV, wind turbine and solar panel industries, leaving the door for China to dominate. Fortunately, Elon Musk saw the issue clearly and looked far ahead and Tesla chose to do manufacturing in China and be closer to its main EV market in China.

Biden is taking a leaf from Trump and is killing USA's semiconductor industry, forcing China to innovate and compete against the Chips Alliance. The competition is hotting up and some are feeling the heat. Intel and AMD, including Micron, are having a taste of what is to come.

And the USA can do nothing about it, despite the strutting of its feathers for show by setting up the Chips Alliance and what not. China controls the ownership, extraction, refining and release of the essential raw materials for global consumption, with domestic manufacturers getting the lion's share of those raw materials. That is why companies like Volkswagen and other German entities are relocating to China to take advantage of the supply chain and cheaper energy cost, and thus are able to compete effectively and sell in the China market itself and globally too.

USA makers of EVs, solar panels and semiconductors do not have that supply chain advantage outside China and will be erased from the competition in pricing, not just in China, but globally as well. CEOs of industries are not foolish or daft, but Leaders of Government in the West are still intent to keep burying their heads in the sand. That is also why CEOs of Western conglomerates have been to China recently to set up joint ventures, totally contrary to what their own Government leaders are spouting and repeating of the mantra about the need to decouple or derisk from China.

When are the Western leaders going to wake up from their wet dream is uncertain. But one thing for sure and that is China continuing to reap all the benefits. Do not blame China for benefitting from the miseries of others. Who can blame China? The USA and the West brought all the problems upon themselves, shot their own feet, trying to pull China down to their level.

Anonymous said...

333 million US citizens and the best presidential candidates they come out with are 2 backward thinking old men, full of hot air, outdated ideas & zero sense.

USA is seriously f*¢ked

Anonymous said...

It is not the voters that get to choose these two old men. They were purposely chosen and pushed out by the Deep State, for their senility and ease of manipulation, and to provide the voters with the mindset that democracy is working, and they are able to exercise their rights.

The voters do not look beyond their noses to question the insult to their intelligence. Their job is to chant anti-China or anti-Russia slogans at campaign rallies to show their patriotism.