Miscellaneous News

[Strangelove]

Lack of infrastructure is the major roadblock to any kinds of de-risking, de-coupling, de-whateverbuzzword.
Multinationals will invest in production, but they will not invest in roads/transportation, port facilities, or the power grid. These are too expensive and won't yield a positive return. Poorer countries will have trouble financing these large projects (heck, rich countries have trouble financing these projects...)

Furthermore, to stabilize the power grid, these countries will most likely seek out the cheapest and most reliable source of electricity which is traditional coal fired thermal power plant. This will be contrary to developed countries' stated goals of fighting climate change.

This is indicative of how serious the problem is in Vietnam. Foreign firms including Chinese ones actually bring in backup generators and build their own roads in Vietnam, typically connecting their factories to the main roads (local government can't be bothered), obviously not large scale infrastructure. If businesses are complaining now it means the problems from 10 years ago still persist or have worsened.

I used to go to Ho Chi Minh City often back in 2013/2014, my local associate and guide (Vietnamese American from Connecticut) informed me that local Vietnamese can't do infrastructure, everything from tunnels, bridges and airports were built by the Koreans and Japanese. I was mistaken as a Korean on several occassions. Northern Vietnamese provinces depend on imported Chinese electricity from Yunnan and Guangxi, and very likely still do to this day. They act tough in the SCS, but they should know if the shiit hits the fan, the switches in those Yunnan and Guangxi powerplants go off, and its romantic candle time in Hanoi.

 

[Bellum_Romanum]

Indians are so easily triggered when any hint of attack that deals or talks about their country's supposed negative side. Here we have, an Indian ethnic-American politician, Nikki Haley making a tweet regarding CO2 in which she essentially tried to put the blame on climate pollution to both India and China. The Indians erupted in an uproar where they attack Nikki Haley's comment and Nikki Haley herself.

Indians are butt hurt when they're attacked or perceived slight when the level of propaganda against them is so tame coming from the west. I can't imagine them handling all the hate and attack if and when India lives up to the lofty promises heaped on that country by many western and Indian pundits as the next China.

 

[Mirabo]

This is indicative of how serious the problem is in Vietnam. Foreign firms including Chinese ones actually bring in backup generators and build their own roads in Vietnam, typically connecting their factories to the main roads (local government can't be bothered), obviously not large scale infrastructure. If businesses are complaining now it means the problems from 10 years ago still persist or have worsened.

I used to go to Ho Chi Minh City often back in 2013/2014, my local associate and guide (Vietnamese American from Connecticut) informed me that local Vietnamese can't do infrastructure, everything from tunnels, bridges and airports were build by the Koreans and Japanese. I was mistaken as a Korean on several occassions. Northern Vietnamese provinces depend on imported Chinese electricity from Yunnan and Guangxi, and very likely still do to this day. They act tough in the SCS, but they should know if the shiit hits the fan, the switches in those Yunnan and Guangxi powerplants go off, and its romantic candle time in Hanoi.

In Vietnam's defence, they are the most sensible of the lot compared to their SEA neighbours. Unlike Cambodia and Myanmar, Vietnam is politically stable and their government knows they need foreign investors. Unlike the Philippines, they don't sit on the precarious fence between courting the Chinese and the Americans.

The local population tend to learn either Japanese, Korean, or Chinese as a second language. Whenever I visit Vietnam, I am always pleasantly surprised to be greeted by a Vietnamese who speaks fluent Chinese, yet the same person might not speak English at all. I'm sure the Vietnamese know what's best for them, and with that in mind, they rightfully toned down their SCS antics in the last few years.

They have a long way to go, but I'm sure that if they can maintain their current direction, they will do just fine.

 

[Biscuits]

This is indicative of how serious the problem is in Vietnam. Foreign firms including Chinese ones actually bring in backup generators and build their own roads in Vietnam, typically connecting their factories to the main roads (local government can't be bothered), obviously not large scale infrastructure. If businesses are complaining now it means the problems from 10 years ago still persist or have worsened.

I used to go to Ho Chi Minh City often back in 2013/2014, my local associate and guide (Vietnamese American from Connecticut) informed me that local Vietnamese can't do infrastructure, everything from tunnels, bridges and airports were build by the Koreans and Japanese. I was mistaken as a Korean on several occassions. Northern Vietnamese provinces depend on imported Chinese electricity from Yunnan and Guangxi, and very likely still do to this day. They act tough in the SCS, but they should know if the shiit hits the fan, the switches in those Yunnan and Guangxi powerplants go off, and its romantic candle time in Hanoi.

It'll just never happen. Vietnam will always be neutral or pro China. They're somewhat restricted to being more pro China due to the damages they received in 1979, but even so, Vietnam puts the security of the communist bloc before anything else.

Vietnam hasn't forgotten that while China fought a border dispute and political change war where all prisoners were respected and the civilians treated according to international law, America fought a genocidal war where the locals were killed, raped and plundered on a level not seen since the IJA landed in Vietnam. It is clear to the VCP which is the greatest threat to Vietnam.

The only hardcore anti Chinese Vietnamese are southern collaborator diaspora masquerading as actual viets. Within the VCP, reinforcing ties with China is all they speak of today.

While the wounds of 1979 might prevent Vietnam from overly marching to China's aid in the event of an American/Japanese attack, Vietnam will at the very least be neutral.

As time pasts and Vietnam has accepted it's lost claims, and the American threat in Asia has diminished, China itself will be responsible for building up Vietnam, as a fellow socialist nation. When that happens, there will be no unreliable powerplants or other shoddy constructions anymore.

 

[ZeEa5KPul]

Indians are so easily triggered when any hint of attack that deals or talks about their country's supposed negative side. Here we have, an Indian ethnic-American politician, Nikki Haley making a tweet regarding CO2 in which she essentially tried to put the blame on climate pollution to both India and China. The Indians erupted in an uproar where they attack Nikki Haley's comment and Nikki Haley herself.

Indians are butt hurt when they're attacked or perceived slight when the level of propaganda against them is so tame coming from the west. I can't imagine them handling all the hate and attack if and when India lives up to the lofty promises heaped on that country by many western and Indian pundits as the next China.

To be fair, I think Nimrata might be a little harsh here.

 

[sndef888]

German crowd expresses discontent with Olaf Scholz, alleging his involvement in escalating conflict in Ukraine. During an SPD event in Falkensee, the chancellor faced continuous booing and accusations of being a warmonger, a liar and a bandit.

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1664962596246638593

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1664820814657605635

Some germans are still based. Hopefully we see a return of sensible politics by CDU/CSU and the greens (US puppets) get kicked out

 

[KYli]

Pence has zero chance of the Republican primary. Trump's supporters hate him. Others seem him weak.

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[56860]

Pence has zero chance of the Republican primary. Trump's supporters hate him. Others seem him weak.

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Poor dude. He somehow looks even worse after losing all that weight. Before he looked like the typical burgerlander, now he looks like a shrivelled prune. Aged 20 years.

 

[FairAndUnbiased]

Lack of infrastructure is the major roadblock to any kinds of de-risking, de-coupling, de-whateverbuzzword.
Multinationals will invest in production, but they will not invest in roads/transportation, port facilities, or the power grid. These are too expensive and won't yield a positive return. Poorer countries will have trouble financing these large projects (heck, rich countries have trouble financing these projects...)

Furthermore, to stabilize the power grid, these countries will most likely seek out the cheapest and most reliable source of electricity which is traditional coal fired thermal power plant. This will be contrary to developed countries' stated goals of fighting climate change.

Not just that, Vietnam is a special case in that they're basically mini China whose economy and politics now depends on China.

Their economy is basically assembling Chinese components for re-export.

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Politically, CPV is watching CPC every step because everything Vietnam is facing now, China already solved in the 1990s and 2000s.

 

[FairAndUnbiased]

This is indicative of how serious the problem is in Vietnam. Foreign firms including Chinese ones actually bring in backup generators and build their own roads in Vietnam, typically connecting their factories to the main roads (local government can't be bothered), obviously not large scale infrastructure. If businesses are complaining now it means the problems from 10 years ago still persist or have worsened.

I used to go to Ho Chi Minh City often back in 2013/2014, my local associate and guide (Vietnamese American from Connecticut) informed me that local Vietnamese can't do infrastructure, everything from tunnels, bridges and airports were built by the Koreans and Japanese. I was mistaken as a Korean on several occassions. Northern Vietnamese provinces depend on imported Chinese electricity from Yunnan and Guangxi, and very likely still do to this day. They act tough in the SCS, but they should know if the shiit hits the fan, the switches in those Yunnan and Guangxi powerplants go off, and its romantic candle time in Hanoi.

Vietnamese SCS stuff is for political theater and the government knows it, which is why China mostly bullies Philippines. It's ez pz to bully the Philippines (actually, justifiably striking back against their aggression) and make their sponsor look weak.

I wouldn't be too sad if Vietnam is allowed to keep a few islands for their loyalty once the hegemon and its puppets are kicked out.