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The Three Pillars

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Americans are not our "best friends"

Contributor: codc01

Date: 2003-04-14 05:20:47

China should progressely remove censorship (especially regarding religious groups)... so there are less violation of basic human rights.

China will become a superpower over time, maybe not the military superpower, but with 1 billion people, and the country going through market economy, nobody will resist them...

Currently, the US has a GNP of 10000 Million US$ while China as 6000 Million US$ ... Its only a matter of time before the US loses out.

I don't think China should become more active on the world stage, i like isolationists very much - i think it represents wisdom over imperialism. But with all US copanies wanting to get in China, i can tell you that China can ask the US for almost anything...

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Americans are not our "best friends"

Contributor: cfallon

Date: 2003-04-15 11:32:08

I would like to know what Chinese Canadians would think of your respect for the communist regime.

My brother-in-law's father paddled an inner tube to Hong Kong to escape the regime and no one in that family would agree with your statements. But that's just anecdotal.

China's economy is the size of Canada's. I think China is a LONG way from catching the US. But, is catching the US a bad thing? Even for the US? I don't think so.

For now, any gains in the Chinese economy will not hurt the US, rather it will hurt Central and South America as these regions produce a similar range of products at higher labor costs. For example, labor in El Salvador is about twice that of labor in China - mainly because you can't hire 6 year olds in El Salvador.

Any shift to China in trade terms hurts people we don't want to hurt.

China is isolationist only because it wants to reserve the right to crush protestors with tanks.

There is nothing benign in China's isolationism.

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Americans are not our "best friends"

Contributor: codc01

Date: 2003-04-17 13:22:15

I never said China was perfect, but compared to others...

From the CIA world factbook 2002:
GDP (2002), estimated:
United States: 10082 Billion US$
China: 6000 Billion US$ (8% growth)
Japan: 3550 Billion US$ (-0.3% growth)
Canada: 923 Billion US$ (3.5% growth)

I simply don't know how you compare Canada's economy with China's...

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Americans are not our "best friends"

Contributor: fatmomma

Date: 2003-04-16 21:41:34

But codco, China's trade power will make it more active. It need not be military active. Economic concessions can be very powerful too and influence a lot of decisions. I would like it fine if everyone would reduce arms but America seems headed the other way now.

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Americans are not our "best friends"

Contributor: codc01

Date: 2003-04-17 13:23:09

I don't like if a power becomes too active on the world stage, but this is my personal opinion...

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Americans are not our "best friends"

Contributor: fatmomma

Date: 2003-04-17 22:08:42

normally, I would agree with you but we need someone with power to hold back the Americans from doing anything they please. Bush is busy ordering countries around way too much for my peace of mind.

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Americans are not our "best friends"

Contributor: codc01

Date: 2003-04-18 08:44:33

Yes, but China should not do the same as the US... I understand your point of counterbalance, but I'm sure the hawks in Washington are already worried about China's power.... So thats enough for me! :)

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