by James Kynge. And I am so Effing Angry. Not at the author - He did a phenomenal job in writing this book.
I am angry from what I learned as I read the book.
I am angry at China. I am angry over what our government has allowed to happen to this country because of China‘s insatiable appetite to take over the world. I am angry at corporate America - all of the CEO’s and CFO’s who live in this country and get rich by not giving a damn about Middle America.
Does the word ‘Outsourcing’ come to mind???
There are 700 million people in China who earn less than two dollars a day making the products you buy - taking jobs away from mostly Middle America.
Corporate America is jumping in bed with China - padding their wallets with bonuses they received by saving their company money, sending their kids to the finest schools, and taking their families on exotic vacations; dining on caviar and truffles - while the rest of America is standing in unemployment lines wondering how they will feed their families.
I could stop buying products made in China if it were even possible to find something that wasn’t but that would not accomplish a damn thing. It’s going to take the majority of voters who truly determine the country’s political future at the ballot box - the ones who are most affected by job losses - to put an end to free-trade with China.
And hand in hand with free-trade with China goes their blatant disregard for intellectual property rights. China had vowed to stop piracy when it joined the World Trade Organization in 2001 but China also knows they have to create 24 million new jobs each year, or they could face a rebellion of a ‘LOT OF PEOPLE’…So they turn their heads and look the other way when it comes to pirated goods.
I think Kynge’s book would have been more accurately titled “China Takes…” instead of “China Shakes…”
Kynge’s book is not just about what China is doing to America or Europe. What they are doing to their own people is equally disgusting and appalling.
Kynge introduces readers to Qi Yuling. Her story saddened me. She was a peasant girl whose college exam results were stolen by her slow-witted friend's wealthy father. He had bribed officials using his position in the communist party. Then her friend stole her entire identity. Qi Yuling was robbed of a university education and the future she had every right to have. While she lived a life of rural poverty, another woman was living a great life in the city under Qi Yuling’s name.
On page 163, I learned - and not surprisingly - that in Beijing, “a whole identity makeover with a PhD in rocket science can be bought for less than $100.”
(I know a few people who try to be someone they’re not…if they could purchase one of these diplomas, it would surely look impressive hanging on their walls adding to their repertoire of bullshit…)
I discovered that because of state corruption in China, one million peasants contracted H.I.V. making orphans of 100,000 children. And instead of officials shutting it down - they arrested activists for protesting and bullied journalists for trying to report the story.
I read the heartbreaking story about forty companies who decided to sell a cheaper, less nutritious version of milk powder baby formula bearing counterfeit brands. The new powder contained just enough protein to keep a baby alive for six to eight months, but not enough to promote normal growth and development. The companies hoped that the more malnourished and sick a baby looked, the more fake powder their parents would feed them, thinking they were being underfed. The companies would then increase their profits. Unfortunately, hundreds of babies are known to have died, (you can bet China did not give an accurate report) and countless others would be affected for the rest of their lives.
On page 43 of Kynge’s book, he tells another heartbreaking story of as many as 500 young girls who commit suicide on a daily basis because of mistreatment by the men in their families. It is the highest rate of suicide in the world. Christ, why won’t they do something?
I'll tell you...China doesn’t really care about its people - they do not care if they lose a few here and there…right? They have plenty more to go around!
Need more statistics???
Well…The number of premature deaths in China caused by respiratory diseases related to air pollution on an annual basis is 750,000.
The number of Chinese who drink water contaminated with animal or human waste is 700 million.
The number of Chinese citizens who died as a result of the famine following Mao’s Great Leap Forward was 30 million.
2 out of every 3 of China‘s 660 cities have less water than they need, and it is expected that Northeast China will completely run out of water in 5-7 years. Do you think that might affect America? Damn right!
If China doesn’t care about her own people, don’t think they care about you or what happens to this country!
The EPA estimated that as much as 25% of the pollution in the Los Angeles atmosphere originated in China. They also recently reported that one-third of the nation’s lakes and nearly one-quarter of its rivers are now so polluted with mercury that children and pregnant women are advised to limit or avoid eating fish caught there.
Some scientists estimated that roughly one-third of the 600 tons of mercury discharged into the air in China settles in the United States.
China’s demand for timber has caused an increase in the logging of rainforests world-wide - most of it being logged, illegally. This is causing an increase of greenhouse gas emissions which contributes to global warming.
Additionally, Kynge reports on page 133 that China propels international prices of most sources of energy and commodities through the roof. Increases in global oil prices are a direct result of China’s demand.
In Chapter 9, “Can We Be Friends?” I learned that China has training manuals instructing operatives on the proper way to treat foreigners. It is structured and scripted down to the smallest detail. It is known as ‘waishi’ or foreign affairs. On page 217 Kynge writes that for China, “Making friend with foreigners is “work” only. And Chinese children are basically taught in school that Americans are not to be respected!
I thought I found one area in which a relationship with China was beneficial. From their massive purchase of US Treasury bonds, our housing market saw lower interest rates; however, my positive thought was short-lived.
If I correctly understand the economic part of all of this, I think China has enough of our dollars that they could render the US dollar ‘worthless!
Come to think of it, I guess that would be a good reason for the US to be kissing China Ass these days.
How could the ‘powers that be’ in these United States let this happen???
