You're not wrong, but having an incredibly important dependence on an industry 100 miles off the coast of China (and the target of their increasingly erratic dictator) is worth paying billions to break.
This is the truth the way I see it. I don’t care if I have to go back to coming over a wood stove with a stick if it meant stopping China. The only area of concern I do see is they provide a lot of pharmaceutical with the chemicals they need and they would not be able to produce the drugs they currently make. As for the rest, I’ve lived without a cell phone for decades I would love to go back to suck a time. Is there any other critical industries reliant on China and for what?
This article argues against the premise that the power and “deep pocket” of the Chinese state can overcome problems that the market cannot solve when left alone, but misses the forest for the trees. Obviously China doesn't attempt this category of infrastructure projects because they have to make immediate economic sense. They tackle them for political and long term geostrategic purposes. Some side benefits are that it's cheaper than US-style global military hegemony, far more permanent, and more readily accepted by populations. For example our local project https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HKZMB cost USD$18.8B which is less than twelve days of the current US military budget of USD$1.65B per day, a lot cheaper and more acceptable than invading Hong Kong and effectively the crown jewel and literal gateway to one of the most populated areas and busiest shipping lanes on the planet. Plus bragging rights. See also impressive road and rail infrastructure through Yunnan, rail to Tibet and Southeast Asia, etc.
Lead time for semi equipment is already years. Supply of qualified labour and expertise is constrained. Money is not the issue. Would take decades to rebuild existing capex. China broke apart meme negates the fact that when united, Chinese dynasties typically last 300 years if they survive first 50. Threatening east Asian supply chain is incredible smart because it resets world to PRC semi levels and forces US to fight within 1st island chain where PRC is strongest. It's massive deterrence to prevent fighting in the first place, per Sun Tzu.
Long time comin. Sounds like its only going to hit the non-china stuff though? How does that compare in terms of value? I would wager without much special insight that the bulk of their worst underwater assets are in china.
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