China arming Iran is indirectly also arming the Houthis in time to come, with Iran now the main supporter of the Houthis. The West can make a song and dance to demonize China about it but isn't that the same as the USA and EU arming Ukraine and Israel. What works for them cannot be denied for China, right?
Sure, the USA can start sanctioning more of China, since Iran is already deep in the USA's sanctions list. Better still, the USA can now completely decouple from China, a move which I believe China is taking in its stride. If China can announce that it is ready for any war with the USA, it shows it has no fear of decoupling from the USA - lock, stock and barrel. Who is in need of what from whom? Rare earth, consumer goods, raw resources are all in the hands and under control by China. China can wash its hands of doing business with USA. But can the USA afford that? Why is the USA not touting about de-coupling, only squeaking about 'de-risking'? People can deduce why the USA is backtracking on decoupling, whatever 'word salad' the USA choose to trot out.
Anonymous
1 comment:
If China is more dependent on USA, Xi would long have gone to Washington to be humiliated. But it is the other way round, with the USA yearning for a meeting with Xi. What had been discussed in Switzerland and London are peripheral issues that still needs the go ahead from Xi. The USA can make all kinds of claims about illusory agreements that were forged in their delusional mind.
Just look at India, with Modi rushing to Washington before everyone else, thinking he is going to catch the early worm and be patted on the head by Trump. Instead, Modi was humiliated and forced to buy expensive weapons from the USA and even now coerced to buy agricultural products that had been rejected by China. Some of the agricultural products have also been rejected by the EU due to genetically modified issues which the EU is very strict about. This is going to kill Indian farmers.
Farmers in USA are going bankrupt without the Chinese market, which is never going to return. The USA will face a National Security Issue with regard to food in time to come, if more farmers bite the dust. In the initial stages of the trade war during Trump's first term, subsidies were used to keep farmers in business. Long term subsidies are not going to work, just like subsidizing semiconductor manufacturers. It sounds good for a start, but not feasible for the longer term. Even monopolizing the semiconductor sector needs a big enough market and if they cannot break into the China market, that spells doom and gloom. Samsung has seen the reality and having cold feet, refusing to go deeper into investing in the USA. Lack of demand was the reason, and who is fueling the demand? Not the USA manufacturers for sure.
Post a Comment