Americans desperate to mine rare earth

 The USA tried mining rare earth in Mongolia and could not bypass the Chinese and Russian hurdle of how to get those raw materials out of land-locked Mongolia. China refused to allow its ports to be used for the ores to be shipped to Japan for refining. That killed the project altogether.

The USA tried to engage Vietnam to allow it to exploit the rare earth material in Vietnam and is still trying very hard to sway the Vietnamese to their side. Too bad, they showed the Vietnamese their negative side with Kamala Harris laying a wreath at John McCain's memorial site in Hanoi. This is an act adding insult to injury for Kamala Harris to pay respect to a war criminal in the eyes of the Vietnamese. The insensitivity was uncalled for and was a big mistake.

Now it looks like Trump's attempt to have access to Ukraine's mineral resources, including rare earth, is falling apart, with the Ukraine peace deal hanging in the balance.

With no other choice, Trump is betting on mining rare earth from the deep ocean that I believe no one else has done yet. When that fails, maybe Trump will gloat about mining on the moon, or even Mars, LOL. Talk about building castle's in the air!

Anonymous

Trump forcing countries to sacrifice for the USA

 Trump is now forcing other countries to sacrifice themselves for the USA. Not only countries, but world bodies like the IMF, World Bank, WHO, UN and ICJ are being forced to do the USA's bidding to cripple China. I think countries are beginning to wake up to the realization that they are merely proxies being used to further the interest of the USA. They could see that happening with Ukraine now. Trump's peace plan is all preoccupied with gaining access to Ukraine's mineral resources, nothing more.

Ukraine had been used by the USA, with 'iron clad' promises and abandoned when the going gets tough. Ukraine is being abandoned in favor of Israel in the Middle East. As John Mearsheimer said earlier, Ukraine is not a country of strategic importance to the USA, unlike Germany or Israel. That should be a lesson for Taiwan and the Philippines not to take too seriously the 'iron clad' promises of the USA.

Japan, surprisingly, is now seemingly not following the USA line of going against China. However, that may change when pressure is applied by the USA and we have seen that happening elsewhere, like the Saudis. Japan had been used for decades by the USA against China and is needlessly suffering economic consequences. Even before Trump's second term, Japan had been selling its treasuries to prop up the falling Yen, a move that elicit a stern warning from Janet Yellen, the previous Treasury Secretary of the USA. You can be sure that Scott Bessent is also not relenting in his application of pressure points against Japan.

Anonymous

EVs - Tesla, the last defence line falling

  Tesla reported its first fall in yearly deliveries on Thursday (Dec 2) as lucrative year-end incentives for the Elon Musk-led electric vehicle maker's aging lineup and the new Cybertruck pickup failed to lure customers wary of high borrowing costs.

Musk had earlier predicted "slight growth" in 2024 deliveries and offered a range of promotions including interest-free financing and free fast-charging to boost sales....

The two companies are currently competing at different price ranges. The starting price of Tesla’s cheapest model at around US$31,900 in China is more than triple the sticker price of BYD’s lowest-priced model. That is the Seagull, an all-electric hatchback starting at US$9,900, which surpassed 280,000 units in sales last year, accounting for nearly a fifth of all BYD battery EVs sold last year. CNA

American and western tech superiority crumbling and failing one by one. Boeing, the iconic American company is about to hit the dust. In automobiles, America legends like Ford, GM, Buick, Jeep, Dodge, Chrysler, are still stuck in the legacy car shit hole and unable to make any headway in EVs. All their EVs can be described as expensive, inefficient and backward.

The only American EV that is still kicking is Tesla. Musk thought that his involvement in politics, to be Trump's right hand man would propel Tesla to new heights. Never has he ever thought of how the Americans would see him, how his actions have caused so much pain and misery to the American working class and now boomeranged to his Tesla cars. The anger and hate against Musk have been translated to anti Tesla EVs. Tesla cars are not only scratched, spray painted, but smashed and burnt on the roads. Car buyers are afraid to own a Tesla for fear of arson attacks. 

Tesla sales have plummeted, and all the good works of the past are now history.  Tesla is also going to bite the dust. On the other hand, Tesla's Chinese competitors are rolling out more and better models that made Tesla cars looking dated. Sales of Chinese EVs, despite the tariffs, are soaring and overtaking Tesla.

Tesla is the last line of defence in American tech industries. China is overtaking everyone of them, including the tough chip industry. China has caught up and running ahead with new technologies to surpass the Americans in chip making. With Tesla going down, there is now nothing in the American industrial arsenal to stay and compete with China. Trump has in his direct foolish ways destroy the whole American industrial competitiveness vis a vis China and the rest of the world.

It is now China running ahead with the Americans fading in the rear mirror. Nothing is going to stop China anymore. Even in the exclusive world of fashion, Made in China is the real stuff, the brand for quality and superior craftsmanship and reasonable prices.

GE2025 - Anything interesting to watch?

 We are in the middle of the GE campaigning and nothing unusual or exciting has cropped up other than the usual stuff. Overall, this GE is going to look like the past GEs and at best hoping for some surprises or upsets. The eastern part of the island is looking like a contest between the PAP and WP, but the results are likely to be the same as the last GE. WP is likely to hold on to their gains but not looking to make more headways. If there is any, it is likely to be from the SMCs.

What is interesting to watch is on the western front. Paul Tambyah of SDP is looking like the most electable opposition candidate and is facing Liang Eng Hwa of PAP, not exactly a heavy weight in Bukit Panjang SMC. The best of the opposition facing an average PAP candidate.  There is really nothing much to fault this professor and not much mud can be thrown at him. PAP would have a hard time trying to present Liang Eng Hwa as a better choice than Tambyah.

The biggest contest is likely to be in West Coast Jurong GRC. Desmond Lee is the anchor man of the PAP team, a measured politician that does not court controversy or involved in grandstanding. Would he be enough to carry a team that is not looking that spectacular against Tan Cheng Bock of PSP and his team? Cheng Bock is an old hand with many supporters built over decades in politics. He is supported by an increasingly popular Leong Mun Wai and Hazel Poa. The two minority candidates also have solid credentials, making the team fairly formidable.

Cheng Bock and Mun Wai combination is about the strongest available from the opposition camp. This is going to be a tough battle for Desmond Lee and his team. Tharman is no longer there to helm the team and nothing needs to be said about Iswaran's legacy. If there is any major upset in GE2025, this is where it gonna happens.

PSP is optimistic, throwing all their big names into West Coast Jurong GRC. PAP's big guns are somewhere else. This is a big test of Desmond Lee's weight as an anchor minister. He is carrying all the weight himself against PSP's big guns. It is going to be very close.

The more Trump lies, the more he discredits himself

 Trump now claims that Xi called him regarding the tariff war. Beijing categorically denied everything that is trotted out by the USA, claiming no such event is happening and are just fake news. Now, who do we believe?

Trump already caved to China earlier as most people are saying, by talking about bringing down the tariffs against China in the face of demands by Beijing that any talk can only proceed with Trump's tariffs out of the way. That stand is as clear as daylight, with claims that Xi called Trump just an illusion. Words must be matched by action, not just releasing hot air. China is waiting for Trump to get the tariffs out of the way first before talks can proceed.

Is this a move meant for the stock market to shoot up again for his cronies to make more money? I would not discount the motive.

Anonymous