Brown off to China cap in hand

Osem · 19-01-2008, 09:26

It seems listening Gordy can't hear the screams in China, isn't worried about serious human rights abuses there and feels it's just fine for the UK to invest and indeed for the Chinese to buy up British businesses to no doubt prop ailing UK PLC up. Apparently vast tracts of the EU are very concerned about who owns what when it comes to their major companies but we don't see it that way. Clearly on our own we can't do very much about China's actions but is allowing them (or indeed the likes of Russia) to buy chunks of our strategic industries a good thing?

BBKing · 19-01-2008, 09:38

Apparently foreign journalists will be allowed to travel and report freely from China during the Games. Local journalists will be allowed to travel and report freely from inside about a 12 foot square space, if they don't toe the line.

Quote:

is allowing them (or indeed the likes of Russia) to buy chunks of our strategic industries a good thing?

As opposed to the Germans, French, US, Arabs? We've been flogging the family silver for so long there's only a teaspoon left anyway. The theory is that opening the market brings in more investment, the reality is 'yes, we'll come in if you let us treat the workforce like poo' to which the answer is usually 'OK, Sir'.

Osem · 19-01-2008, 09:52

Quote:

Originally Posted by BBKing

Apparently foreign journalists will be allowed to travel and report freely from China during the Games. Local journalists will be allowed to travel and report freely from inside about a 12 foot square space, if they don't toe the line.

As opposed to the Germans, French, US, Arabs? We've been flogging the family silver for so long there's only a teaspoon left anyway. The theory is that opening the market brings in more investment, the reality is 'yes, we'll come in if you let us treat the workforce like poo' to which the answer is usually 'OK, Sir'.

We know the theory, the question was should brown be allowing it in respect of China? At least within the EU we have some modicum of influence and the US has probably owned an increasing amount of UK PLC since the war - blame Hitler for that. Arab states don't appear quite as much a threat to the UK as Russia and China but you never know I suppose. The likes of the KIA have been investing heavily here for decades but is there evidence of anything sinister?

tweetypie/8 · 19-01-2008, 11:56

Quote:

Originally Posted by Osem

It seems listening Gordy can't hear the screams in China, isn't worried about serious human rights abuses there and feels it's just fine for the UK to invest and indeed for the Chinese to buy up British businesses to no doubt prop ailing UK PLC up. Apparently vast tracts of the EU are very concerned about who owns what when it comes to their major companies but we don't see it that way. Clearly on our own we can't do very much about China's actions but is allowing them (or indeed the likes of Russia) to buy chunks of our strategic industries a good thing?

heres hoping he stays there.

wishful thinking

Osem · 19-01-2008, 14:08

Quote:

Originally Posted by tweetypie/8

heres hoping he stays there.

wishful thinking

Yeah there is that

What would/could we do if they kept him there though? Declare war on them, refuse to buy all the products we now rely on or just heave a massive collective sigh of relief and have an election? I know which option I'd prefer...