[Innockcroff]

The current China reminds me a lot of the post WWII federal government. Very hungry, and willing to do anything it takes to gain more power and control. Our nation exxxploded in wealth after we saved the world from the Nazi's. Rightfully so. But we did so by putting much of the undeveloped world under our heel. We engaged in less than ethical trade practices, and wheedled a good deal out of every interaction.

The difference, to me, is our foreign aid spending. China has zero, we have more than the rest of the world combined. We will victimize people to gain wealth, so that we can give that wealth back to them (in a smaller amount) and then revel in being the good guy. If China would possibly find a way to give back to those it victimizes, maybe they would have more success, too?

In all seriousness, I see this happening more and more as time goes on. Eastern philosophy is far separated from western. They are much more direct and straight forward, where in the west it is more like a dance, very subtle. In the east you can badmouth your competition. It is normal. In the west, if you do that you risk losing business because we don't generally like that.

Western companies will either have to learn to do things the China way, or will have to just not deal with them. I hope for the latter. Choke the dragon. But not until we pay back the debt (or ensure that any war we have is definitely winnable).