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from the wouldn't-want-to-impact-Christmas dept.
https://www.npr.org/2019/08/13/750770595/trump-administration-delays-some-china-tariffs
The Trump administration is postponing some of its new tariffs on Chinese imports — a significant retreat in the trade war that has rattled financial markets on both sides of the Pacific.
The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative announced on Tuesday that 10% tariffs on certain popular consumer items — including cellphones, laptop computers, video game consoles, computer monitors and some toys, shoes and clothing — will be postponed until Dec. 15.
'What we've done is we've delayed it, so they they[sic] won't be relevant to the Christmas shopping season,' President Trump told reporters.
I guess it really is easy to win a trade war: just saber-rattle but never actually do things.
(Score: 2) by Lester on Tuesday August 20 2019, @04:46PM (2 children)
In Africa there is a cold war between France and USA. They use proxy governments, bribe, threaten, support a dictator or support insurgents etc. On the other hand, China is gentle.
China is also moving in South America. And once again China offers win-win deals, while USA bribes police, politicians to make laws that protect its corporations and allow them export natural resources without almost paying taxes and control protests against their abuses.
China uses honey and USA uses the stick. USA says "China is attracting you with honey, but do you really want a world dominated by China?" No, I don't. You are right. But, have you tried, my dear USA, to use honey? I'm a little sick of being robed, blackmailed, abused, spied and all your bully ways.
(Score: 2) by Phoenix666 on Tuesday August 20 2019, @10:49PM (1 child)
The US gives about $50 billion/yr in foreign aid [wikipedia.org]. About $10.5 billion of that goes to African countries. That's a pretty good amount of honey.
A quick search finds a 2015 report from the World Economic Forum [weforum.org] which reports the US is the top donor of foreign aid in the world, followed by Germany, the UK, France, Japan, and Sweden. China is not even on that list.
Also, in the first source cited the US has been given large amounts of foreign aid since WWI, which is a century ago. I don't know what the total is in 2019 dollars for that last 100 years, because I'm tired of googling. But the data, you know, facts, not feelz, have already cast doubt on your assertion that the US only uses the stick and never the honey, or that China is so, so much more generous than America is.
In short, balderdash!
Washington DC delenda est.
(Score: 2) by Lester on Wednesday August 21 2019, @07:17AM
First, I have talked about fair deals. Getting 1 billion in resources and then giving 10 millions is not what I would call generous. Giving in exchange of political decisions is not what I call donation.
Second, I've seen reports where those donations include millitary aid, that were half budget. Some of this donations include building infrastructures, but only those that American companies need in the country.
It doesn't make sense to give a fish when the last year your father has made a deal with the local boss to have exclusive rights for fishing in the river.