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| China-Japan-Koreas |
| China's growing pull puts Brazil in a bind |
| 2006-03-23 |
| Lula, the supposedly reformed communist, has rolled out the red carpet for his counterparts in China. The problem is that China is sucking manufacturing jobs out of Brazil - and Brazil's rigidly protectionistic policies and union-dictated labor laws are discouraging new domestic and foreign investment. Lula's also hoping to counteract Uncle Sam's political might. Too bad China's not interested in having Brazil set one barbarian (China) against another (the US): For 51 of its 52 years in business, brush and comb maker Escovas Fidalga was solidly profitable. Then last year, it plunged into the red. Ask boss Manolo Miguez why, and he fingers a culprit that would be familiar to many hard-pressed American manufacturers. "Our biggest competition is Chinese imports. ... They started slowly, but today they take up 70% of the Brazilian market," says Miguez, the company director. As Escovas Fidalga's plight demonstrates, American businesses aren't the only ones feeling the heat from the roaring Chinese economy. Brazilian manufacturers of toys, eyeglasses, footwear and textiles all howl that surging Chinese imports are submerging them. |
| Posted by:Zhang Fei |
| #8 RC: OK, honesty time: would you rather go to a Brazilian beach, or a Chinese beach? The Brazilian version has good-looking (and top-heavy) topless women, but you'd better bring a pistol along. The Chinese version has good looking (but slim) women in one-piece swimsuits, but you're perfectly safe. I think the Chinese version is more relaxing, in every sense of the word. |
| Posted by: Zhang Fei 2006-03-23 18:11 |
| #7 Wait till the Chinese Dollar Stores arrive en mass! Incredible that one country could produce soooooooo much drek! |
| Posted by: borgboy 2006-03-23 18:01 |
| #6 China: the world's bad neighbour. |
| Posted by: Grunter 2006-03-23 14:52 |
| #5 OK, honesty time: would you rather go to a Brazilian beach, or a Chinese beach? |
| Posted by: Robert Crawford 2006-03-23 12:17 |
| #4 A couple years ago, Lula was parading the new “strategic partnership” with China when Hu was visiting. As soon as Hu got back to China, they slapped tariffs on certain Brazilian imports, making Lula look like a fool. He didn’t say anything about it. Now he and Brazil are learning the hard way. The Chinese have never been known to honor any trade agreements or alliances. I used to visit Sao Paulo a lot the last couple of years. What I noticed was that there was an increasing number of Chinese there, especially in the traditionally Japanese neighborhood of Liberdade. That surprised me. Looks like they’re taking over all over the world now. |
| Posted by: bonanzabucks 2006-03-23 12:04 |
| #3 They did it to themselves, it's a good lesson for the USA though... dont import too much crap |
| Posted by: bk 2006-03-23 10:17 |
| #2 They deserve eachother. Please pass the popcorn. |
| Posted by: Thesing Gleamp9916 2006-03-23 07:41 |
| #1 Welcome to the party, we saved you a seat. |
| Posted by: bigjim-ky 2006-03-23 05:51 |