China thinks years ahead, not about next year or
tomorrow. That is how China now controls most of the raw essential
materials and processing logistics that the USA and the West lacks.
China worked on this issue over the last two or three decades, not just
yesterday.
It is going to take a miracle for the USA and the West
to catch up, looking high and low to get at the last remaining bit of
such rare earth raw materials left. They tried looking for co-operation
with Outer Mongolia for rare earth supplies but could not do so, with
China not allowing its port to be used for shipment of raw rare earth
materials bound for Japan for processing. Why on earth would the Chinese
even be seen to allow that is a no brainer?
The USA is also
trying to woo Vietnam to get at their reserves, the second largest in
the world, which is also not successful. Who is going to refine them is
not a big problem but setting up the logistics or shipping out the ores
for processing in the West or Japan for such a venture is going to be a
problem with cost. Can they then even compete successfully with China?
Now
Chinese Government entities are no longer using Windows nor computers
from the West. China has its own operating system called Kylin (I think)
which is said to be impenetrable by foreign espionage, its own
satellite system by Beidou, its 5G mobile Harmony operating system by
Huawei, and also its own navigation system for its military use.
Countries
that have axes to grind with the USA or the West are co-operating with
China in the use of its Beidou Satellite Navigation system to prevent
being held hostage in the event of conflict. In all, 165 countries are
on Beidou Satellite Navigation system - from Africa, Middle East (Iran
for example) and South America.
The USA and the West have been
trying to take out the Houthis missile guided ground bases to little
effect. Even jamming them did not work, as mobile bases can be relocated
fast and easily in the mountainous terrain. There is no question that
Iran is providing the Houthis with the technology for missile and drone
targeting of enemy ships in the Red Sea/Gulf region. One question never
clearly answered was why can't the USA just cut off the GPS system in
Yemen to stop the attacks? And that begs raising the other question of
whether they could not do it because of the usage of the Chinese Beidou
Satellite Navigation system that the USA and the West have no control
over. That is just my two cents worth thinking about it, being a
non-technical bean on such complicated matters.
Anonymous
The latest IT glitch did not affect Russia and only marginally affect some those foreign companies operating in China using Windows operating system.
ReplyDeleteThis is all thanks to the two countries migrating their systems away from Windows and Western made equipment thus saving the day. How dangerous it is to depend on Microsoft is clear for all countries, particularly Global South countries and what they should do now. Having an alternative is the only way to say safe.
Never underestimate the evil mind if it intends to do evil. This is just a minor lesson for all, but an important lesson, nevertheless. Be prepared like Russia and China and remember that prevention is better than finding a cure later on.