SoylentNews is people
SoylentNews
from the butt-heads-on-trade-agreements dept.
The Chinese government appears to be withholding samples of the bird flu virus H7N9, requested by U.S. researchers:
The samples are critical for studying the virus and developing life-saving treatments and vaccines in preparation for potential outbreaks or pandemics. Usually, countries share viral samples "in a timely manner" without any fanfare under an agreement established by the World Health Organization to address such potential flu threats. That usually means a matter of months.
But according to The New York Times, China has failed to share the samples for more than a year, despite persistent requests from government officials and researchers, including those at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Moreover, scientists and experts worry that, as the US and China continue to butt heads on trade agreements, the issue of sharing biological samples and other medical-related materials could worsen.
We can make our own flu, and send them live samples.
Also at The New York Times.
(Score: 2, Interesting) by Sulla on Wednesday August 29 2018, @07:22PM
Sounds like China is getting pretty desperate if they are willing to risk their own peoples lives when negotiating. So sounds to me like we are winning. China has thrown out some pretty big concessions so far as possibilities; enforcing US copyright and patents, allowing foreign companies to own assets in whole in China, saw offers for between 100 and 200 billion in additional trade allowances, allowing US products currently banned to be unbanned for sale in China. China wants to get a deal where they are still ahead, Trump wants a deal (like the one with Mexico or Europe) that takes us from a drastically unbalanced state to a balanced state. It is completely reasonable to not want to continue being screwed. Currently we are rich but a net loss of 400 in US treasure a year from the US to China will ruin us in the long run.
I cannot compete in the market with someone from China who can work for cents a day. I cannot compete with a guy from China who is just as smart as me but got his degree for 1/20th the price. I suppose one day I could compete with them if I am okay getting by on 1/5 of my current salary and with 1/5 of my current 'stuff' and the inability to provide a life for my kids anywhere near that which was given to me by my parents and to them by their grand parents. Rome failed because it sent its treasure to the East in exchange for trinkets and spices.
The trade deficit was great for boomers who wanted cheap crap, and they will be dead before the chickens of bad trade comes home to roost and ruins their children and grandchildren.
Ceterum censeo Sinae esse delendam