Belgian chocolate prohibited in China

[The_Munchmaster]

Yeah, I bet he can't sleep at night.

[rogueyam]

Tony Blair was following the right path until he was corrupted by GWB, he will regret that for the rest of his life. Damn shame.

 

And who in the UK has taken up the "third way" baton?

 

Was their really a "path" that Mr. Blair was on, or was there simply Mr. Blair?

 

[teddy]

And who in the UK has taken up the "third way" baton?

 

Unfortunately it has been taken up by a Scotchman. It would be better however if he were to stick it up his arse :thumbup:

 

[Steve]

As far as China, its too late. We can pass blame around but it won't change anything. Frankly, both parties have a hand in allowing China to do what they do. Also, I think Europe has had their head in the sand about China.

 

The 3rd world either doesn't care or has sold out to China for 30 pieces of silver.

 

China is probably the #1 superpower now in fact if not in name. Just like America was after the turn of the 20th century when it exceeded Great Britain's GNP but it wasn't confirmed by all till after a couple world wars.

 

This economic crisis has greatly weakened the U.S. both in ecoomic terms as well as prestige.

 

If China wants to ban Belgian chocolate or whatever, there isn't a damn thing we can do about it.

 

Its too late. That horse has left the barn. The only hope we have are the Chinese people themselves demanding a western style representative government so that at least when they are the pre-eminent super power its not in the hands of a few. Not that a democratic style government hasn't stopped us and other countries from doing things we shouldn't.

[ThaiHome]

Steve,

You need to go live in China for a while. They are not and I personally doubt they ever will get there in my lfietime the number #1 superpower in the world. They may be the world's fatory, but that does not and never will, make them a superpower. Right now the GNP is about a third of the US.

 

As far as QA/QC they can indeed do it, but there are real problems getting done without strict third party oversight. There are two distinct classes of goods in China. Those of export quality and those for domestic. Just imingine what the domestic consumption quality is like.

TH

 

 

[HeartThais]

[quote=rogueyamNot following you. Sorry.

 

You can blame the quality of goods in China on their political structure but the argument is thin. I'm pointing out that countries on your short-list of "moral" countries are guilty of their own corporate sins often committing them knowingly and in cold calculating manner. So your argument connecting facism and poor product quality is conjecture. I understand your pseudo-Ayn Rand rants and I stopped getting involved in such debates with people like you in college because really those debates never change anything. Arguing ideology is fun but doesn't get anything done.

 

My second point is that if you want a pragmatic way of dealing with the quality issue, threaten the profitability of a company that can do something about it. Punish walmart and they will in turn put the thumbscrews on their Chinese business partners.

[Steve]

Hey TH, good points made. Only been to mainland once. 3rd world in large parts of it.

 

With the economic crisis and the baggage that comes with it that we're experiencing and at the pace the Chinese economy is growing, I think it may be happen sooner than we think.

 

They have a huge amount of work to do on infrastructure. Just like America did in the 1800s (rail nationally, dams, bridges, tunnels) and all the way into the middle of the 1900s when we set up the national highway system, subways, tunnels.

 

Although they would be cutting their own throats in the process they do have the economic power to severely hurt us. They buy our debt and make our products.

[Guest lazyphil]

talking of railroads, i was watching a docu about the building of the railroads through the sierra nevada, with glory shots of worn out looking whites with picks and shovels when the job was done when the truth was the chinese labour just kept working through the sevre winters, ice and snow and hard work to complete these engineering marvouls when everyone else was just unwilling/able to carry on, and nowhere do you see the china man feature in the photos. hard as nails.

 

i've just seen on telly factorys are closing in their hundreds in the coastal areas of china and a huge exodus returning to the countryside to a very insecure future....anyone for assisted suicide in switzerland!

[rogueyam]

Not following you. Sorry.

 

You can blame the quality of goods in China on their political structure but the argument is thin. I'm pointing out that countries on your short-list of "moral" countries are guilty of their own corporate sins often committing them knowingly and in cold calculating manner. So your argument connecting facism and poor product quality is conjecture. I understand your pseudo-Ayn Rand rants and I stopped getting involved in such debates with people like you in college because really those debates never change anything. Arguing ideology is fun but doesn't get anything done.

 

My second point is that if you want a pragmatic way of dealing with the quality issue' date=' threaten the profitability of a company that can do something about it. Punish walmart and they will in turn put the thumbscrews on their Chinese business partners.[/quote']

 

Maybe if you had been more diligent in debating ideas previously you would be able to post something comprehensible now.

[Bangkoktraveler]

talking of railroads, i was watching a docu about the building of the railroads through the sierra nevada, with glory shots of worn out looking whites with picks and shovels when the job was done when the truth was the chinese labour just kept working through the sevre winters, ice and snow and hard work to complete these engineering marvouls when everyone else was just unwilling/able to carry on, and nowhere do you see the china man feature in the photos. hard as nails.

 

i've just seen on telly factorys are closing in their hundreds in the coastal areas of china and a huge exodus returning to the countryside to a very insecure future....anyone for assisted suicide in switzerland!

 

 

The way I look at it, the railroads got built on a diet of opium. Even white people ere importing opium into the country but it was the chinese who could use it and at the same time get a lot of work done.