Received an interesting Email from a Chinese Electronics Parts Distributor. No idea where they got my email addy from but had to have been thru my dealings on AliExpress, Amazon, or eBay. On their website was this interesting statement:



We are regret to inform that with the Sino-US trade war escalation, the US government announced that since May 10th , 2019, the tariff rate imposed on the $200 billion dollars worth of China imported, has increased from 10% to 25%. In order to defend its legitimate rights and interests, China has to adjust tariffs on some imported goods originating in the United States.

Affected by these measures,the price of some electronic components may increase (including products that have been ordered but have not yet finished import process）.If you want to know whether there is a price increase for the exact part no.,you could contact Jotrin sales department to confirm. We are sincerely sorry for this inconvenience

Thanks for your always trust and support to our company.

Based on the principle of mutual benefit and win-win, Jotrin will continuously pay attention to the tax rate to avoid the unnecessary losses ,also will try our best to offer the best price ,best quality products and committed to customers service!


Sincerely with our best wishes!

Jotrin Electronics Limited


May 16th 2019

 

Most of the U.S. federal debt is owned by China and it already owns the U.S.

Furthermore, the federal debt just keeps going up and it's just a matter of time before China forecloses and it will be a political take over instead of a shooting war.

 

Most of the U.S. federal debt is owned by China and it already owns the U.S.

Off topic, but in 2017, 42% of US debt is foreign owned (all entities). That’s down from its peak. Successive years are lower.
https://usafacts.org/metrics/55388?year=2017

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_debt_of_the_United_States

As of June 2019, federal debt held by the public was $16.17 trillion and intragovernmental holdings were $5.86 trillion, for a total national debt of $22.03 trillion.[5] At the end of 2018, debt held by the public was approximately 76.4% of GDP,[6][7] and approximately 39% of the debt held by the public was owned by foreigners.

China owns about 27% in 2019
https://www.thebalance.com/u-s-debt-to-china-how-much-does-it-own-3306355

It’s still not good.

 

I am not an economist and the machinations of the bean counters have always baffled and confused me. I can understand China reinvesting the billions of dollars they have earned by selling cheap/poorly constructed, often stolen proprietary property and counterfeit goods to not only the US but globally. What I found extremely odd was the language used in "We are regret to inform that with the Sino-US trade war escalation, the US government announced that since May 10th , 2019, the tariff rate imposed on the $200 billion dollars worth of China imported, has increased from 10% to 25%. In order to defend its legitimate rights and interests, China has to adjust tariffs on some imported goods originating in the United States." Instead of a more neutral "Due to the increase in prices of imports we regret to inform you our prices have increased". Maybe something was lost in the translation but that was a strong political statement and not just stating their prices were increasing.

 

Most of the U.S. federal debt is owned by China and it already owns the U.S.

Furthermore, the federal debt just keeps going up and it's just a matter of time before China forecloses and it will be a political take over instead of a shooting war.

That is a factual misunderstanding leading to an ignorant statement. A bond is not a mortgage, and a bondholder cannot foreclose. China can do only two things with its bonds:

1. It can decline to buy more as existing bonds mature.
2. It can sell it's existing holdings on the secondary market.

Neither of these things is of particular concern to the US Treasury. When you don't understand the situation it might be wise to refrain from opining.

 

On a side note, I have to agree with a opinion piece letter in my local paper.
In the mean time, China seems to be taking it out on Canada!
Max.

"Why is it taking so long for Canada to extradite Meng Wanzhou to the United States?
She is the chief financial officer for the Chinese telecom giant Huawei, which did business with Iran in violation of United States sanctions against that country.
I understand that Canada is following due process in such a high-profile case, making sure that everything is done right before Meng is handed over to U.S. authorities.
I say this process takes much too long and that all concerned, including the minister of justice, lawyers, officials, politicians, secretaries, etc., should be located in one secure place and not allowed to leave until the Canadian extradition process is completed.
Then, Canada could pass this “hot potato” on to the United States to deal with. Come on, hurry up!"

 

On a side note, I have to agree with a opinion piece letter in my local paper.
In the mean time, China seems to be taking it out on Canada!
Max.

"Why is it taking so long for Canada to extradite Meng Wanzhou to the United States?
She is the chief financial officer for the Chinese telecom giant Huawei, which did business with Iran in violation of United States sanctions against that country.
I understand that Canada is following due process in such a high-profile case, making sure that everything is done right before Meng is handed over to U.S. authorities.
I say this process takes much too long and that all concerned, including the minister of justice, lawyers, officials, politicians, secretaries, etc., should be located in one secure place and not allowed to leave until the Canadian extradition process is completed.
Then, Canada could pass this “hot potato” on to the United States to deal with. Come on, hurry up!"

You might derive more long term benefit by sending her back to China. The best way to encourage bad behavior is to give somebody what they want.

 

That would be my choice!
Max.

 

Canada is one of the preferred places for Chinese defectors and Vancouver Island BC is where a large number of Hong Kong residents fled to when HK was being reunited with China. Along with Chinese immigrant communities in most US metropolitan cities.

 

China owns about 27% in 2019

I figured it was much higher.
But it's not like a car! They can't just come over here and repo our Country.
Brzrkr

 

I figured it was much higher.
But it's not like a car! They can't just come over here and repo our Country.
Brzrkr

They would have to show up with a whole lota soldiers, which I believe they have, and a fierce determination to confiscate every gun in every one of the lower 48 states, but I think they could even do that along with the execution of say 30-50 million people. I doubt the remainder of the population would have the stomach for resistance after that.

 

They would have to show up with a whole lota soldiers, which I believe they have, and a fierce determination to confiscate every gun in every one of the lower 48 states, but I think they could even do that along with the execution of say 30-50 million people. I doubt the remainder of the population would have the stomach for resistance after that.

I know it's a wild fantasy of a scenario but the remainder of the population (Places like Texas) would be hell bent to pull the nuclear trigger on a billion people if that happened.

 

I know it's a wild fantasy of a scenario but the remainder of the population (Places like Texas) would be hell bent to pull the nuclear trigger on a billion people if that happened.

Ya. Kinda makes you wonder what folks are thinking. I thought we pretty much gamed this all out about 50 years ago. Can the newest generation have forgotten, or worse yet ignored, the lessons of history? I hope not but I fear they have. I'm pretty sure that some have never heard or read about them. You don't suppose there is any significant number of people that don't read much -- do you?

 

Ya. Kinda makes you wonder what folks are thinking. I thought we pretty much gamed this all out about 50 years ago. Can the newest generation have forgotten, or worse yet ignored, the lessons of history? I hope not but I fear they have. I'm pretty sure that some have never heard or read about them. You don't suppose there is any significant number of people that don't read much -- do you?

I was in the nuclear weapon release chain (I was the code guy that sent/received the EAMs and decoded the targeting Gold Codes from the SIOP) during the Cold War. My willingness and others to pull the trigger (as an automatic response to authenticated commands from training) if needed was a part of the reason why people today don't need to think about it.

The first plan, following the White House policy guidance, was developed in 1960, consisting of a list of targets (the National Strategic Target List, or NSTL) and the assets to be used against each target. The targets themselves were pulled from the Bombing Encyclopedia, which listed over 80,000 targets of interest.[30] This first SIOP was extensively revised by a team at the RAND Corporation to become SIOP-62, describing a massive strike with the entire US arsenal of 3,200 warheads, totaling 7,847 megatons, against the USSR, China, and Soviet-aligned states with urban and other targets being hit simultaneously. Nine weapons were to be "laid down" on four targets in Leningrad, 23 weapons on six target complexes in Moscow, 18 on seven target areas in Kaliningrad, etc.

SIOP-62 included the virtual obliteration of the tiny country of Albania because within its borders sat huge Soviet air-defense radar, which had to be taken out with high assurance. Power smiled at Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara and said with a mock straight face: "Well, Mr. Secretary, I hope you don't have any friends or relations in Albania, because we are just going to have to wipe it out."[36] McNamara was left with "macabre, shallow, and horrifying" impression.[37]

 

I am not an economist and the machinations of the bean counters have always baffled and confused me. I can understand China reinvesting the billions of dollars they have earned by selling cheap/poorly constructed, often stolen proprietary property and counterfeit goods to not only the US but globally. What I found extremely odd was the language used in "We are regret to inform that with the Sino-US trade war escalation, the US government announced that since May 10th , 2019, the tariff rate imposed on the $200 billion dollars worth of China imported, has increased from 10% to 25%. In order to defend its legitimate rights and interests, China has to adjust tariffs on some imported goods originating in the United States." Instead of a more neutral "Due to the increase in prices of imports we regret to inform you our prices have increased". Maybe something was lost in the translation but that was a strong political statement and not just stating their prices were increasing.

I'm a Chinese and I think I know why he is saying this way - it's what our teachers taught us in school - to make it sounds formal, it has nothing to do with politics. It's good to know what language may make you feel odd -- usually our customers don't tell us this.

 

I'm a Chinese and I think I know why he is saying this way - it's what our teachers taught us in school - to make it sounds formal, it has nothing to do with politics. It's good to know what language may make you feel odd -- usually our customers don't tell us this.

If Chinese companies were independent entities looking out for their own economic interests and the interests of their shareholders your argument might carry some weight. Since companies in China are instruments of the Central Committee and the Chinese Communist Party, it is hard to argue that they can exercise independent thought, much less action.