For instance, a number of APEC countries are angered at the possibility that the U.S. International Trade Commission may introduce curbs on foreign steel products, as this would greatly affect South Korea's and Japan's steel exports. China and Japan have also gone back and forth issuing tariffs against each other's products. In April, Japan placed tariffs on leeks, shiitake mushrooms and reeds for use in tatami mats. China responded in June by placing 100 percent punitive tariffs on Japanese motor vehicles, air conditioners and mobile phones. *************
Party slams its door on Jiang's plan By Xu Yufang
BEIJING - With no fuss and without a word in public at all, the ruling = Chinese Communist Party (CPC) has repudiated the bold plan of its leader, General Secretary Jiang Zemin, to open the party to capitalists and entrepreneurs.
[ When I first read this release about capitalists in the party I thought it seemed cool, but I wondered if somehow Jiang would indeed end up over-ruling. After all, it certainly seems like Blair and Bush have started a trend of rule by executive order by various means. But really it's stuff like this 100% tarriff that carry real meaning. This is a giant gift to the US it seems to me. (Anyone know how to find out when this happened?) And way out of proportion to the things Japan had put tariffs upon, which could have some traditionalist reasoning behind them. Cars, ac, and mobile phones! 100%! I can't believe this hasn't been a big headline. Did you know Quasar/Panasonic are the highest rated ACs in Consumer Reports? The Capitalists are very busy. Some sort of culmination it feels to me. Everything smells of long incubation. Of course I've had a feeling of dread about the US/China thing since Nixon went there. The worst elements of the Chinese Communists in an alliance with the worst elements of US Capitalism. Nightmare. Between the Chinese tariffs and the US steel action the Japanese must be feeling like victims of economic terrorism. I just read that their banks are under extreme distress, whatever that means. And I just saw a news piece about the opening of high-end retail establisments, British and US I think, in Tokyo, including one very exclusive new place that had to restrict the number of shoppers allowed in at one time because of unanticipated response. Whatever that means. Said one reason for the flocking of the affluent boutiques was because of the collapse of the real estate prices. Some Japanese guy talking about how these companies really knew about marketing and advertising, more than traditional Japanese retail. Unrelated (but not really) Another odd economic thing I've noticed lately is a tendency for Blair to throw the people some economic goodies. Maybe someone on the list knows more details? Seen a coupla stories about budget increase in healthcare and such and one about the repeal of some fees students had to pay and other financial breaks. (So different from the soaring costs of higher ed. in the US and the corporate give-away here) Blair and Bush certainly have differing styles of motivating their pops. Too bad the US pop will sell it's soul for empty patriotism. At least the Brits get benies.)
"And South America stole our name, let's drop the big one there'll be no one left to blame us."