People’s Republic of China could be free for ever

US imperialism is doing everything to conquer China:  seduction, threats and defamations

 

By Daniel Paquet                                                                                           dpaquet1871@gmail.com

 

In regard to People’s Republic of China, “we have another group of capitalists, an even more rapacious, even more predatory one, a group who came to the capitalist banqueting table when all the seats were occupied, but who introduced into the struggle new methods for developing capitalist production, improved techniques, and superior organization, which turned the old capitalism, the capitalism of free-competition age, into the capitalism of giant trusts, syndicates, and cartels.  This group introduce the beginnings of state—controlled capitalist production, combining  the colossal power of the state into a single mechanism and bringing tens of millions of people within the single organization of state capitalism.  Here is economic history, here is diplomatic history covering several decades, from which no one can get away.”[1]

Economy

Apple is to open a research lab in the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen, according to Tim Cook, its chief executive, as it seeks to boost sales in the country and improve ties with the authorities.  Beijing has been encouraging foreign technology companies to carry out more high-end work on the mainland as part of efforts to revitalize local industry.  It will be Apple’s second facility in China.  It already has a new research and development facility in Beijing.  The two R&D centres were ‘aimed at strengthening relationships with local partners and universities as we work to support talent development across the country’, Apple said in a statement.  A closer relationship with the Chinese authorities has been a priority following setbacks for the US technology company this year.(…)

Analysts said the announcement of the R&D centre was Mr Cook’s latest attempt to gain favour with Beijing, following the US group’s $ 1bn investment in Didi Chuxing, the Chinese car-hailing company, in May. (…)

Ge Jia, a tech blogger wrote: ‘It’s time for Apple to cast aside their pride.’

‘Their previous strategy of only selling devices to China without leaving anything behind is not working anymore and they are starting their process of localization in China through (the Shenzhen lab).’ (…)

‘The (R&D centre) is much more than a friendly gesture to China’, Fu Liang, an independent telecom analyst, added.  Because of what she called the local market’s ‘unique characteristics and demands’, Apple needed to develop ‘customized technical variations’ for Chinese consumers.”[2]

Politics

But business with China is rather full of voluntary obstacles. “Mr Xi (president) is supposed to step down from all this posts – as head of the nation, the party and the military – in 2022.  At that point he will be older than the customary retirement age of 68 and will have served two five-year terms at the head of the party just like his two predecessors, Hu Jintan and Jiang Zemin.  Hanging on to power would send an unequivocal signal that China is lapsing back into a system under which personal power trumps established   procedure.  The insidious effect of this would probably be felt in several political and economic spheres, inside and outside China. (…)

Although his crackdown has been effective in netting thousands of crooked bureaucrats, it has also failed to recognize that a root cause of corruption is the lack of independent supervision within a single-party structure. (sic)   (…)

For China’s trade and investment partners, the issue is also vital.  Observance of the rule of law, due process and independent supervision are cornerstones of the Washington Consensus, but Beijing’s frailties in these areas have frustrated its integration into the global system. China remains the main target for anti-dumping suits brought by the EU, while US allegations of cyber hacking, cyber-espionage and intellectual property infringements are a regular source of bilateral friction.  Strategic tensions over territorial disputes in the South and East China seas also come down to divergent attitudes to the law.  The world should hope Mr Xi comes to observe the established custom on retirement.  Abandoning it would set a dangerous precedent not only for China but for an interconnected world.”[3] 

Surely, the world bourgeoisie expects an early retirement since the current president is obviously too efficient in its struggle to develop a strong and independent People’s Republic of China.

Military flashiness

“Wu Shicun, head of the National Institute for South China Sea Studies, said Beijing ‘reserves the right’ to impose a so-called air defense identification zone (Adiz) once it had built its second aircraft carrier. (…)

Mr Wu, who made the comments at a military forum in Beijing, is not an official government spokesman but he has a record of floating proposals that turn out to be policy.  His observation suggests China is maintaining – or even strengthening – its assertive strategic stance in the Pacific Ocean. (…)

Beijing’s experience of employing an Adiz, which requires foreign aircraft to identify themselves, could mean it will refrain from declaring a new one before it can properly enforce it.  When China sought to impose the measure in the East China Sea in 2013 it was immediately challenged by the US, which flew two B-52 bombers to scramble aircraft to intercept them.  The construction of a second Chinese aircraft carrier was revealed in March 2015.  Latest photos show the hull is nearly complete. Analysts expect it could be finished by 2018 but training naval aviators and crews mean it may be a decade before it is fully functioning.  Tensions have been rising in the South China Sea.  Beijing has been irked b y repeated efforts by Washington to test its territorial claims there by moving ships and aircraft close to artificial islands claimed by Beijing.  Declaring an Adiz would, in theory, offer Beijing a way to cement further control over the sea, which it claims as its territorial waters.  That claim was repudiated this year by an international arbitration court, which ruled in favour of a Philippine challenge to China’s claims in the South China Sea – a decision that infuriated Beijing. The comments from Mr Wu were made at the Xiangshan Forum, an annual there-day gathering in Beijing that offers a window into the strategic thinking of China’s military.”[4]

The rise of China has been, is and will be dreadful to US imperialism.  Even President Obama voiced it in his book, Audacity of Hope that he wrote before its first election.

 

Archives: La Vie Réelle,    www.laviereelle.blogspot.com 

 

 

­­­e wrote before its first election.s books, Audacity of Hope, taht ism. ce zone, Financial Times, Thursday 13 October 2016, page

 

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[1] Lenin, V.I., War and Revolution, On Historical Materialism, A collection, Collected Works, vol. 24, Progress Publishers, Moscow, 1972, page 524

[2] Clover, Charles; Ju, Sherry, Apple looks to improve China sales with second R&D lab, Financial Times, Thursday 13 October 2016, page 16

[3] Editorial, China’s leadership risks a great leap backward, Financial Times, Thursday 13 October 2016, page10

[4] Clover, Charles, South China Sea expert floats idea of Beijing air defence zone, Financial Times, Thursday 13 October 2016, page 5