next time you buy something "Made in China", think of this article

[Dash01]

Again, I'm with MarkD and TheGeak on this: I categorically refuse to subsidize people who have an announced official policy of preparing for inevitable war with my country, of undermining human rights, and whose record of obvious cheating on copyrights and intellectual property is appalling.

Besides that, the quality and durability of Chinese products is generally poor, making them actually among the most expensive, when true life-cycle costs are taken into account.

And, it is extremely poor public policy for any government (including ours or that of Australia, etc.) to allow jobs and industrial infrastructure to be exported, wholesale, to another country, especially one that sees us as the enemy.

Further, our government, in reducing tax for the very richest, has incurred a sudden and massive deficit, and now covers the deficit by borrowing from---the Chinese! So, we borrow money that started here from buying at Wal-Mart, then went to Bejing to finance the military machine that prepares for war with us, and which now covers the tax obligations of the very richest people. So, when the "inevitable" war comes, we'll be fighting with our banker! Whose children will be drafted to fight in that war?

[DaCan23]

I think 100% of the stuff in Crate & Barrell is made in China, and from what I've heard the manufacturer sells the same stuff unbranded to Chinese stores for retail is about 90% less than what Crate charges for the stuff

[Lennyz525i]

Before we start pointing fingers its time to look in the mirror!!!! How many times have US soldiers been killed by weapons supplied by Western nations, indeed, the US!?
And before we bring up Taiwan and its sovereignty and Chinese aggression how can we speak with any kind of conviction while occupying an independent sovereign nation!?
So to boycott products from a nation because of something they said or weapons supplied or civilians killed due to aggression or apathy would mean we would have very few sources of goods!!! Very few indeed.

True. I'd also like to add that you shouldn't take whatever a pissed off general says too seriously, he might have even been totally misquoted (is that even a word?). Also, too many people express blunt opinions about China without knowing anything about China. So for the record:

China has a population of 1.3 billion. It has numerous cities like Shanghai, Beijing, Shenzhen and now also Hong Kong all with populations of at least a few million well educated, motivated and hard working chinese. China has been growing economically at a stunning rate of around 9% for more then a decade now. Differently put, China will be the number 1 economic superpower very soon whether you like it or not. If you think China only consists of sweatshops owned by western companies and that the chinese government is about suppressing its people you really need to get a ticket to Shanghai, look, learn and then tell me what you think about China.

That's all. I hope this board won't get too many OT political threads, it's too good to be destroyed by that.

Ps, Shayne, good to see you here!

[Shayne]

Thanks Len. No more politics. I promise!
Mark,
I think the problem with all boycotts is that it has no affect on those we are attempting to punish. The typical Chinese working family is the only victim. Do you truly think Zhu would notice?
The irony here is that the 'democratic' US is just as guilty of human rights violations yet the perpetrators go unpunished under the guise of 'freedom', 'democracy', and 'antiterrorism'.
Propaganda is alive and well and thriving at home in the USA just as well as in China.
My motto is buy local, and if you cannot then buy quality. That means downtown in stores owned and operated locally. It doesn't matter if it's made in China, Turkey, or Iceland. The money stays in the community and the local economy benefits.
'Made in the USA' means absolutely nothing if the price has been leveraged to the last cent by Wal-Mart or Costco at the expense of employee's wages or benefits and all the profits are invested offshore. Or if the company has reaped the benefits of 'corporate welfare' in its many forms. Capitalism indeed.
Help your neighbours, speak out against atrocities here and abroad, open your eyes, take a long hard look in the mirror, and it will all work out in the end.

[TheGeak]

My motto is buy local, and if you cannot then buy quality. That means downtown in stores owned and operated locally. It doesn't matter if it's made in China, Turkey, or Iceland. The money stays in the community and the local economy benefits.

Here, Here!