This is brilliant, just superb.
A telegraph link to copycat cars at the Shanghai Autoshow.
Normally I have a witty comment or try to share my insight. This time I’ll leave you to draw your own conclusions.
Posts Tagged ‘World economics’
Interesting Article on the China’s Copper Strategy
April 22, 2009My friend Matt sent me this article yesterday, which I thought I would share with everyone.
Seemingly a dry look at what China is doing regarding copper, it contains one or two interesting bits of information and style.
I have seen the question of whether or not China looking to use the current economic situation to further its interests quite a lot lately.
I often find it interesting with western journalists that they see such a move from the US as ‘prudent financial policy’ (although i suspect when it comes to the US that term is oxymoronic) but when China does it they are ‘trying to take over the world.’
The stand out part of this article is that it does not take such a tone.
“So China’s longer-term view is that now is the time to secure a substantial foothold in copper to ensure the country will not be exploited in the same way it was with oil, iron ore and other materials in the last boom. ”
As someone who was on the western side of negotiations on iron ore deals 6 years ago I witnessed first hand just what that exploitation was.
At the top end of the scale were the major mills who had to purchase in a sellers market. It wasn’t so bad for them but they were definitely the weaker party during talks.
At the bottom end were thousands of massively uninformed small Chinese buyers scrabbling around for any bit of iron ore they could lay their hands on ripe for exploitation by anyone claiming to have ore. Right in the middle of this unholy mess were the mines in India and Brazil just putting up prices until it all collapsed.
No wonder the Chinese have decided to change their strategy- I would say that is a very smart move.
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