6/22/2024

EU thinks only it can impose sanctions. China also can.

 Already we have seen farmers protesting in the EU because of cheaper imports from outside the bloc. European farmers could not compete on price and are losing market share. Farmers in Europe are losing money and closing shop. How are they going to survive?

The whole idea of the EU ruling body was to get rid of small farmers in Europe to allow the biggies like Nutrien, Dupont and others to corner the market and expand production globally. As in the USA, caring for the top 1% is more important than the smaller fish swimming in the crowded pond. And what will those small farmers do without their farms?

China's retaliative moves against the EU over investigation of its EVs is going to make it even more detrimental for European farmers. EU leaders are spooked, and some are already flying to Beijing to seek help. China should tell those leaders that if they want to play with fire, they will get burned themselves. China has been working over the decades to secure alternative agricultural products, mainly from South American countries and now also from Russia. China already is prepared for any moves made by the USA and EU and will be able to respond positively. China is known to think decades ahead of what it will do ten to twenty years further down the road.

This is also happening in India and Indian farmers are not taking it lying down. We have seen the protest just months ago. Modi is trying to win over farmers, but we do not know how. India is predominantly an agricultural economy, with 58% of the population involved in farming. Replacing their livelihood with other jobs is beyond India's capability, not when India is still not yet a diversified and an industrialized economy. Furthermore, younger Indians are joining the workforce by the millions every month and how are mostly illiterate farmers going to compete? India has big problems ahead.

Anonymous

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

The UN wants Russia to comply with sanctions against North Korea. Who imposed sanctions against North Korea? Not Russia or China, so why should they comply to help the USA and the West? After all North Korea is now an important strategic partner of Russia and China, just like NATO is to the USA. The Russians, Chinese and North Koreans do not call it 'iron clad' alliance, but just all-weather partners, that cannot be eroded by rusting.

At the UN, not every country must comply with UN declaration. Not all countries voted to sanction Russia over the Ukraine War. The UN deliverance is often skewed in favor of the USA and the West, and this is well known and often been taken up by many UN members of the Global South.

What about the UN asking USA and NATO to stop sending weapons to Ukraine and Israel? Genocide is ongoing in Gaza and had been committed in Eastern Ukraine against Russian speaking Ukrainians. The UN just closed its eyes and mouth - seeing nothing, saying nothing and doing nothing. Who does the UN represent? The USA and the West or the Global Community at large? It is time for BRICS and the Global South to have its own world body with neutral jurisdiction. No country must have a bigger say just because of its bigger contribution. That is bribery by any other name.