iPhone Maker Foxconn Says China's 'Days as the World's Factory Are Done'

[iReality85]

The reality is, China's plan is to pivot to Belt and Road countries, where over 130 countries have already signed, including Italy, Greece, and South Korea. There's a reason why the IMF predicts China will be the only major economy in the world to grow this year.

It sounds like you picked your three choice examples right from Wikipedia.

Of course, if anyone here actually wants to read up on China's Belt and Road Initiave (and the criticism it's encountered), they can simply go to Wikipedia instead of just taking your word that it's good.

 

[macdos]

China has no aspiration for world domination. You are only afraid of losing yours.

And you are losing it, big time. You think you are so special, that gravity does not apply to you, that you can set the rules and not follow them yourselves. You can't, and gravity is pulling you down now from your lofty heights.

It is fascinating seeing an empire crumbling in real time.

The more crap I hear from you and other Americans about China, especially from Pompeo, Trump and your fascist government, the more inclined I become to replace the only thing American I ever buy, i.e. Macs and Iphones.

Fix your own country, and stop telling others what to do. I sincerely hope the Chinese will teach YOU a lesson, because you are so in need of it. They should kick you out of the Pacific, because you have no business there.

You need to realize that “the West” is not onboard with you on this. It is you and your puppet states in Five Eyes against China, and we in the EU will not take part in your aggressions.

China needs to learn a lesson and The West needs to stop propping up a country that is run by tyrants who want to achieve world domination.

 

[DailySlow]

While diversification is good, it comes a bit too late with signs that China has become an antagonist in that region from years of collecting paychecks from acting as the world's factory.

Recent battles with India on the Indian border, building out a vast network of disputed war islands as platforms for military dominance, Hong Kong treaty violations, Muslim + Catholic internment camps, COVID disappearances, recent talks about forced "reunification" of Taiwan and threats toward sovereignty of Vietnam + South China Sea territory... Japan rearming navy in response to China becoming a blue waters navy...

China ain't going nowhere. This and very little mention in the news about China and Russia partnering to replace US dollar currency in the region... gotta love the media and it's hype over little ****, meanwhile all this and a bag of chips on the edge of WW3.

Great! Move the manufacturing to smaller platforms in a region that will soon be up in smoke.

Biden/Harris will most certainly reverse all of the trade war elements and we'll be soon funneling cash back into the Chinese economy. A country The Washington Post recently praised, stating communism promises "a better future" for it's youth.

Trump views China’s Communist Party as a threat. Young Chinese see it as a ticket to a better future.

Potential members are using twin crises of coronavirus and floods to prove their allegiance to the party.

www.washingtonpost.com

Well, actually, under Biden/Harris TPP might be back in play, uniting SEAsia economies (including Taiwan - home of Foxconn - as a member) and finally realized, nosing out China in a united front.

 

[JPack]

It sounds like you picked your three choice examples right from Wikipedia.

Of course, if anyone here actually wants to read up on China's Belt and Road Initiave (and the criticism it's encountered), they can simply go to Wikipedia instead of just taking your word that it's good.

I'm not saying it's good for dominant countries like the U.S. The BRI project is simply replacing the U.S. as a major customer for China. Americans can isolate themselves all they want, but the world always finds a way around.

Given the recent actions of the U.S., like imposing aluminum tariffs on Canada, it's no surprise the U.S. has few friends left when it comes to economic deals.

 

[brewcitywi]

The more we diversify, order from multiple countries and expand our own manufacturing, the better off we will be. For a long time I've thought that the Chinese work force could eventually have a labor correction. They want a better quality of life, which could increase manufacturing costs. I don't want to bash China...we have all taken advantage of the cheaper manufacturing, whether as a corporation or consumer. Overall, the diversification is great for the USA.

 

[nitramluap]

Surely this is just because quality of life and wage expectations have been steadily rising over the past decades in China *because* they were thew world’s (cheap) factory for so long.

Now that they expect better wages (and rightly so), companies look to new ’slave labour’ markets in less developed parts of Asia, etc. It’s the same reason whey you don’t see these jobs in developed countries - we can’t afford the products built with expensive labour.

And if you do have some local manufacturing in your developed country, you find that most of the people that work in that industry are either recent immigrants, backpackers or undocumented and do so for trivial wages because they have little choice.

This happens in every industry, not just tech... and people are still surprised by it when it happens. The biggest problem is that people do not want to pay the *true cost* of things. Instead they want fancy stuff they can treat like garbage & just replace without thinking. That all needs to change.

 

[Lowhangers]

I was just about to mention this on another thread.
China needs to learn a lesson and The West needs to stop propping up a country that is run by tyrants who want to achieve world domination.
Next step is to ban any internet companies associated with China until they allow Google, Facebook, and other companies to operate in their country unfettered by censorship. Like that would ever happen.

And what about Facebook, Google, etc. censorship? You do realize that you do NOT have freedom of speech on any of their platforms. So it’s bad for the Chinese to censor but okay for American Tech Tyrants companies to do so? 🙄

 

[Deliro]

No Trump fan, but if it weren’t for his moves it would be business as usual for China. On paper the deals and one way tariffs were insanely in favor of not only China but for the greedy cooperations that leveraged them.

 

[coolbreeze]

<— right, again, as usual

 

[dampfnudel]

Well, it’s usually smart and logical to diversify.

 

[Marshall73]

The exploitation of cheap Chinese labor has hit its peak. It’s much cheaper to exploit cheap labor in India and Vietnam now. If you think it is for any other reason then you are just being naive.

 

[5105973]

China has no aspiration for world domination. You are only afraid of losing yours.

And you are losing it, big time. You think you are so special, that gravity does not apply to you, that you can set the rules and not follow them yourselves. You can't, and gravity is pulling you down now from your lofty heights.

It is fascinating seeing an empire crumbling in real time.

The more crap I hear from you and other Americans about China, especially from Pompeo, Trump and your fascist government, the more inclined I become to replace the only thing American I ever buy, i.e. Macs and Iphones.

Fix your own country, and stop telling others what to do. I sincerely hope the Chinese will teach YOU a lesson, because you are so in need of it. They should kick you out of the Pacific, because you have no business there.

You need to realize that “the West” is not onboard with you on this. It is you and your puppet states in Five Eyes against China, and we in the EU will not take part in your aggressions.

I can’t believe I’m the one posting this, because half of my family suffered greatly in WW2, having been conscripted by the Japanese to fight against the Allies, and were therefore killed by Americans. But the reason America has business in the Pacific is because they paid for it in blood. American money helped equip China and American blood drenched the Pacific to save China and other allies in that region during WW2. The Chinese, particularly the women and children, suffered greatly at the hands of the Japanese, whose deeds were absolutely inhuman.

Speaking of the EU, there was no EU back then. If not for Americans shedding more of their blood in Europe, what would Europe look and sound like now, I wonder? I don’t doubt in the years after, Americans squandered the good will earned by the shed blood of true heroes. I know there are agencies in the US government that need to be reined in. But in looking forward and looking around at the present, we have to be mindful of what went on in the past because past events shaped what we see now, even if younger generations have forgotten or never knew.

And don’t worry, I am well aware America didn’t grow in a vacuum and we have much to thank Europe for. So, thanks.

But when speaking of China, go back before the world wars and we see that their grievance is with nearly all of the west...looking at YOU, Europe, and not only us vulgar Americans. Look at the Opium Wars and what followed as Britain and the US and European countries essentially forced their way into China and tried but didn’t quite succeed with Japan. I don’t know how much the average westerner is aware of what went on in those days. But the Chinese probably still bear some form of scars and grudge and determination to make sure they are the masters of destinies this go around...even if their younger generations also don’t know exactly what their past before the CCP consisted of. I honestly don’t know what they’re taught about that time period. But there are always echoes of the past that come into play in the shaping of national character.

We can’t go around pointing fingers at each other because we ALL suck. If we aren’t sucking today, we sucked yesterday or are going to tomorrow. And today’s allies may be tomorrow’s greatest rivals and vice versa.

 

[macdos]

The true cost is what a market in competition offers. It is at the core of capitalism, and it is the process by which poorer people and poorer countries can become richer, lika China now or any European country in the past.

Without these market forces, people and nations will remain poor, and your socialist crap has never worked anywhere at anytime.

Socialist measures are always brought on at a late stage, when a country has already become rich, and it then becomes a welfare state. This is what Deng Xiaoping knew, and this is why Mao and Stalin and Sung failed with their ambition of building socialist states from the bottom. They will just stay at the bottom, no more no less.

This happens in every industry, not just tech... and people are still surprised by it when it happens. The biggest problem is that people do not want to pay the *true cost* of things. Instead they want fancy stuff they can treat like garbage & just replace without thinking. That all needs to change.

 

[macdos]

Yes, America saved us in WWII. Thank you. Again. But now it is not about being a fair world police and being a peace keeper in Asia, it is about world dominion and hegemony, about not losing out to a competitor who is rushing past a tired empire.

And yes, Europe killed itself with WWII, just like Great Britain lost all its greatness in the same process. Nevertheless, Europe learned a bit from its mistakes, and hence the EU was born. It is far from perfect, but it has served us well.

China was a Western ally during the war, and China was a tool for the West to contain the Soviet Union. Now they are making China an enemy, just because it is challenging the American hegemony. China never was our enemy, and has no aspirations to be one.

Japan did not actually resist the Americans, they were cracked open much the same way China was by the British opium crooks Jardine and Matheson, and they learned all the Western philosophies to abandon their traditional feudal ways. In particular, they industrialized and modernized their army to achieve goals of the past, like invading and dominating Korea and then China.

Many of the problems created by the Japanese (and amplified by the USA and other powers) are still present in the region. Japan was transformed by force by the US and became a kawaii democracy, but has nevertheless not really given up its past – as seen in the continuous visits to the Yasukuni, the euphemisms about war crimes in text books, and the unwillingness to make up once and for all about “comfort women” in Korea and China.

Japan should drop its hostility toward both China and Korea, and instead cooperate to further each other's interests and strengthen the region. Nobody has ever attacked Japan, with the exception of the Khan, and the notion that they need protection from China is absurd given the history.

I can’t believe I’m the one posting this, because half of my family suffered greatly in WW2, having been conscripted by the Japanese to fight against the Allies, and were therefore killed by Americans. But the reason America has business in the Pacific is because they paid for it in blood. American money helped equip China and American blood drenched the Pacific to save China and other allies in that region during WW2. The Chinese, particularly the women and children, suffered greatly at the hands of the Japanese, whose deeds were absolutely inhuman.

Speaking of the EU, there was no EU back then. If not for Americans shedding more of their blood in Europe, what would Europe look and sound like now, I wonder? I don’t doubt in the years after, Americans squandered the good will earned by the shed blood of true heroes. I know there are agencies in the US government that need to be reined in. But in looking forward and looking around at the present, we have to be mindful of what went on in the past because past events shaped what we see now, even if younger generations have forgotten or never knew.

And don’t worry, I am well aware America didn’t grow in a vacuum and we have much to thank Europe for. So, thanks.

But when speaking of China, go back before the world wars and we see that their grievance is with nearly all of the west...looking at YOU, Europe, and not only us vulgar Americans. Look at the Opium Wars and what followed as Britain and the US and European countries essentially forced their way into China and tried but didn’t quite succeed with Japan. I don’t know how much the average westerner is aware of what went on in those days. But the Chinese probably still bear some form of scars and grudge and determination to make sure they are the masters of destinies this go around...even if their younger generations also don’t know exactly what their past before the CCP consisted of. I honestly don’t know what they’re taught about that time period. But there are always echoes of the past that come into play in the shaping of national character.

We can’t go around pointing fingers at each other because we ALL suck. If we aren’t sucking today, we sucked yesterday or are going to tomorrow. And today’s allies may be tomorrow’s greatest rivals and vice versa.

 

[5105973]

Yes, America saved us in WWII. Thank you. Again. But now it is not about being a fair world police and being a peace keeper in Asia, it is about world dominion and hegemony, about not losing out to a competitor who is rushing past a tired empire.

And yes, Europe killed itself with WWII, just like Great Britain lost all its greatness in the same process. Nevertheless, Europe learned a bit from its mistakes, and hence the EU was born. It is far from perfect, but it has served us well.

China was a Western ally during the war, and China was a tool for the West to contain the Soviet Union. Now they are making China an enemy, just because it is challenging the American hegemony. China never was our enemy, and has no aspirations to be one.

Japan did not actually resist the Americans, they were cracked open much the same way China was by the British opium crooks Jardine and Matheson, and they learned all the Western philosophies to abandon their traditional feudal ways. In particular, they industrialized and modernized their army to achieve goals of the past, like invading and dominating Korea and then China.

Many of the problems created by the Japanese (and amplified by the USA and other powers) are still present in the region. Japan was transformed by force by the US and became a kawaii democracy, but has nevertheless not really given up its past – as seen in the continuous visits to the Yasukuni, the euphemisms about war crimes in text books, and the unwillingness to make up once and for all about “comfort women” in Korea and China.

Japan should drop its hostility toward both China and Korea, and instead cooperate to further each other's interests and strengthen the region. Nobody has ever attacked Japan, with the exception of the Khan, and the notion that they need protection from China is absurd given the history.

I’m glad we agree on the history. But you’re ignoring now the present and what China has been up to. It’s a lot to unpack and I’ve got to make dinner. Lol. For what it’s worth, I think we (the US), China, and Russia all must be absolutely exhausting for the rest of the world to put up with. It’s tragic that we can’t all get along and that we often use other sovereign countries as pawns. As individuals, we are lovely. Unfortunately, our respective governments represent a concentration of some of our most ruthless power hungry predatory minds and the resulting policies reflect that.

I’d still prefer the US to China because by and large, I have freedoms I would not have under the CCP. And where Chinese economic might is able to flex its influence in other nations, like in the American movie industry, they show how heavy handed they are at supplanting native cultural values with theirs. They do this even for versions of movies destined only for our cinemas. I also object and fear what they do to people of faith in their country. My religious faith is part of me and my heritage and I would not appreciate having a government strip it from me and reprogram me to worship the state instead. So yes, I and many Americans fear what could happen if China becomes more dominant than it already is. (As I’m sure the Chinese and other Asians weren’t too thrilled having to westernize or face being colonized). Karma is a bear. That doesn’t mean I want to lie down and accept it.

 

[macdos]

So would I, but then again, China has no interest in taking away your freedoms. And they never could, no matter how powerful they grow, because their system is simply not compatible with the world.

I’d still prefer the US to China because by and large, I have freedoms I would not have under the CCP.

They do nothing to people of faith as long as that faith is not a threat to the state or to public order. The faith in question here, Islam, is not seen as a threat per se, and people who practice it, like the Hui minority, are regarded as well as other groups.

The situation in Xinjiang, however, has more to do with radicalized islam and terrorism, with the added element of secessionism by people who think they belong to a never-existing country called “East Turkestan”, a notion that has been fuled by NED, CIA and other American interests to sow discord in the region, just as has been the case in Tibet and Hongkong.

We need to see things for what they are. Or are you implying that Guantanamo is American hostility toward people of faith rather than a measure to counter religious terror?

I also object and fear what they do to people of faith in their country.

 

[spotlight07]

Why the move away from China? I guess I missed the news. From the comments a lot of people here seem to understand something I’m missing.

 

[macdos]

Because China is transforming from manufacturing and export to economic self-reliance on the internal market with support of exports on the global market (dual circulation). As China grows richer, labor costs increase, and so companies outsourced to China are striving to find cheaper labor in India, Vietnam and so on.

There is also the element of redundancy, of not putting all your eggs in one basket. The corona crisis has made this quite obvious.

Why the move away from China? I guess I missed the news. From the comments a lot of people here seem to understand something I’m missing.

 

[russell_314]

China needs to learn a lesson and The West needs to stop propping up a country that is run by tyrants who want to achieve world domination.

So The West should stop propping up the USA? 🤷‍♂️😂

 

[Shirasaki]

Maybe China will see their errors of their ways and will transform themselves to what they should have done.

Human nature tells us until irreversible disaster happens and massive damage is done there is zero chance China will see their errors and even think about transform. The only thing matters now is what kind of damage is considered “massive and irreversible damage”.

Regardless of how bad a fool Trump makes himself out to be, it's the underlying policies, decisions that should be looked at not his idiotic tweets and other dumbass statements.

So, you mean we should give Trump 4 more years to kill more Americans? His response to this pandemic has been disaster with very little accomplishment. If your only reason to elect Trump again is because he is tough against China, then you really should think again.
Biden being elected does not mean he will bow before China and beg for forgiveness. He is the guy who follows the party and open for change. What America need right now is not another chaotic 4 years and let irreversible damage being done by Trump or his party. A lot of people hates what CCP is doing, but what if USA turns into that very country they hate? An authoritarian regime that is fighting another authoritarian regime?
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So The West should stop propping up the USA? 🤷‍♂️😂

Isn’t The West pretty much The USA?

 

[russell_314]

Isn’t The West pretty much The USA?

I was pointing out the pot is calling the kettle black.

 

[Shirasaki]

You do realize that you do NOT have freedom of speech on any of their platforms

I bet very few Americans are willing to accept that. Freedom of Speech is only a pipe dream as it is practically impossible to exist, depending on how it is defined.
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I was pointing out the pot is calling the kettle black.

Ok then. My bad.

 

[I7guy]

And what about Facebook, Google, etc. censorship? You do realize that you do NOT have freedom of speech on any of their platforms. So it’s bad for the Chinese to censor but okay for American Tech Tyrants companies to do so? 🙄

An equivalent would be the US government censoring "freedom of speech", not the "American Tech Tyrants".

 

[russell_314]

An equivalent would be the US government censoring "freedom of speech", not the "American Tech Tyrants".

Agreed but the outcome is still the same. It's not just the big social media giants like Facebook censoring but rather website hosting companies taking down websites. If you have a website that says something I don't like or agree with then I can get the hosting company to take it down.

Agreed that in China it's the government that censors your website or social media post vs the USA we have private censorship. The end result is your speech has been restricted.

 

[cmaier]

Agreed but the outcome is still the same. It's not just the big social media giants like Facebook censoring but rather website hosting companies taking down websites. If you have a website that says something I don't like or agree with then I can get the hosting company to take it down.

Agreed that in China it's the government that censors your website or social media post vs the USA we have private censorship. The end result is your speech has been restricted.

As far as I’m concerned, your rights to free speech end on my property. Say what you want, but not on my dime or on my front lawn.