I agree with your conclusion that American, European and Japanese auto firms must innovate and I hope they do
Although I think you brush under the carpet the abuses China commits with this statement "...who knows the realities of human rights abuses in various parts of China. But then again, people who live in fragile glass houses like we do should maybe be careful about the stones we chuck around." The UN has condemned China's abuse of the Uyghur people. They are aggressively threatening Taiwan, a "no limits" friend of Russia while they invade Ukraine etc ...
We aren't perfect in the UK (our treatment of asylum seekers is awful), but I don't think it's comparable.
Is a boycott the answer? I don't know, but i think it's something we need to consider carefully.
- Chinese EV makers have received massive, market-distorting state subsidies, that would meet the internatinal definitions of anti-competitive practice. There is a reason even the EU has launched an anti-subsidy probe into Chinese EVs.
- There has been a recent rise in hybrid sales (one of the main contibutors to the recent decline in pure BEV sales). There are major industry figures who feel it may be sign of a longer term trend (https://www.ft.com/content/407bdb32-0d46-413d-bc00-2e514d583344). I don't agree, but perhaps this is a sign of real underlying consumer concerns with the current state of BEV market, which need to be addressed - rather than persisting with rose-tinted evangelism.
At Harrogate, I asked Derek Reilly if the Chinese view the UK as a market with barriers or an opportunity to sell at increased margins - he said the UK market is too big & too profitable to ignore and they love the fact that we buy new cars more often than other markets. Sounds like the Chinese are here for the long term so European manufacturers better pull their fingers out.
The Chinese influence on our daily lives is overwhelming; the American way of dealing with it is short-sighted and possibly disastrous - we need to embrace, collaborate and innovate our way to the future.
Some of us were contemplating the situation 10 years or so back whereby China was increasingly becoming the world's dominant manufacturing base. As they become the dominant supplier of much of the tech and consumer goods that we all demand they increasingly make themselves indispensable as many Western country's manufacturing industries wither and die as a result of the onslaught.
Chinese politics views policy and history in general in a far longer timeframe than do Western governments. The apparent dominance of global geopolitics by Western civilisations over what is realistically only the past couple of centuries which in comparison to the >3 millennia that China has existed for, so just a blip in comparison. The system of 3 or 4 year governmental terms for most Western countries only serves to further magnify the temporary focus of their foresight. Worth watching, this doco series (from 2012) is still a good observation of China's past and likely future: https://youtu.be/8-icWswaid4
This is not confined to an "onslaught" of EVs. We import dog poo bags from China for Heaven's sake! How can it make economic sense to ship those half-way around the world? Why is it beyond us to produce such things profitably using automated plant?
The answers in part: - Chinese subsidies and dumping (no pun...) on world markets.
Our domestic industries have been suffocated for longer than the last 14 years. Don't get me wrong, our government and "entrepreneurs" are absolutely culpable. Much damage has already been done. With pitiful levels of growth, how can we as a country support heathcare, social care, defence, policing, education, housing, transport infrastructure, child welfare... The money has to come from somewhere. Neither Party will contemplate significant tax increases. Nor will the electorate wear it.
China is on a planned trajectory to eventual economic (if not military) world domination. I'm no fan of US politics, but the imposition of substantial trade tariffs on China is one precedent we must follow, if Britain is to avoid becoming a social, industrial and economic pauper. Is that the kind of Britain we deserve?
The Western World is reaping what it sowed. Imposing blanket tariffs is akin to throwing your toys out of the pram and while it may save jobs in the short term it will stifle economic growth in the medium to long term. If you can't beat 'em join 'em seems apt.
I agree with your conclusion that American, European and Japanese auto firms must innovate and I hope they do
Although I think you brush under the carpet the abuses China commits with this statement "...who knows the realities of human rights abuses in various parts of China. But then again, people who live in fragile glass houses like we do should maybe be careful about the stones we chuck around." The UN has condemned China's abuse of the Uyghur people. They are aggressively threatening Taiwan, a "no limits" friend of Russia while they invade Ukraine etc ...
We aren't perfect in the UK (our treatment of asylum seekers is awful), but I don't think it's comparable.
Is a boycott the answer? I don't know, but i think it's something we need to consider carefully.
To offer some balance of perspective:
- Chinese EV makers have received massive, market-distorting state subsidies, that would meet the internatinal definitions of anti-competitive practice. There is a reason even the EU has launched an anti-subsidy probe into Chinese EVs.
- There has been a recent rise in hybrid sales (one of the main contibutors to the recent decline in pure BEV sales). There are major industry figures who feel it may be sign of a longer term trend (https://www.ft.com/content/407bdb32-0d46-413d-bc00-2e514d583344). I don't agree, but perhaps this is a sign of real underlying consumer concerns with the current state of BEV market, which need to be addressed - rather than persisting with rose-tinted evangelism.
At Harrogate, I asked Derek Reilly if the Chinese view the UK as a market with barriers or an opportunity to sell at increased margins - he said the UK market is too big & too profitable to ignore and they love the fact that we buy new cars more often than other markets. Sounds like the Chinese are here for the long term so European manufacturers better pull their fingers out.
The Chinese influence on our daily lives is overwhelming; the American way of dealing with it is short-sighted and possibly disastrous - we need to embrace, collaborate and innovate our way to the future.
Some of us were contemplating the situation 10 years or so back whereby China was increasingly becoming the world's dominant manufacturing base. As they become the dominant supplier of much of the tech and consumer goods that we all demand they increasingly make themselves indispensable as many Western country's manufacturing industries wither and die as a result of the onslaught.
Chinese politics views policy and history in general in a far longer timeframe than do Western governments. The apparent dominance of global geopolitics by Western civilisations over what is realistically only the past couple of centuries which in comparison to the >3 millennia that China has existed for, so just a blip in comparison. The system of 3 or 4 year governmental terms for most Western countries only serves to further magnify the temporary focus of their foresight. Worth watching, this doco series (from 2012) is still a good observation of China's past and likely future: https://youtu.be/8-icWswaid4
This is not confined to an "onslaught" of EVs. We import dog poo bags from China for Heaven's sake! How can it make economic sense to ship those half-way around the world? Why is it beyond us to produce such things profitably using automated plant?
The answers in part: - Chinese subsidies and dumping (no pun...) on world markets.
Our domestic industries have been suffocated for longer than the last 14 years. Don't get me wrong, our government and "entrepreneurs" are absolutely culpable. Much damage has already been done. With pitiful levels of growth, how can we as a country support heathcare, social care, defence, policing, education, housing, transport infrastructure, child welfare... The money has to come from somewhere. Neither Party will contemplate significant tax increases. Nor will the electorate wear it.
China is on a planned trajectory to eventual economic (if not military) world domination. I'm no fan of US politics, but the imposition of substantial trade tariffs on China is one precedent we must follow, if Britain is to avoid becoming a social, industrial and economic pauper. Is that the kind of Britain we deserve?
The Western World is reaping what it sowed. Imposing blanket tariffs is akin to throwing your toys out of the pram and while it may save jobs in the short term it will stifle economic growth in the medium to long term. If you can't beat 'em join 'em seems apt.