China Geopolitical News Thread

[solarz]

It has been hashed out in my country by the ordinary folks. The key point is that working in a government-linked company carries less risk than in a private organization.

For the rank-and-file workers maybe, but not for executives, and certainly not for executives in state-run companies in China, where you run the risk of being caught for corruption and getting the death penalty.

 

[broadsword]

For the rank-and-file workers maybe, but not for executives, and certainly not for executives in state-run companies in China, where you run the risk of being caught for corruption and getting the death penalty.

Sorry, I did not express myself unambiguously. The kind of risk I was referring to was the business risk. Risk from competition, failure of the business, etc. Because government organizations or government link organizations face less risk than private companies , their top executives should therefore be rewarded less than in the private sector.

 

[solarz]

Sorry, I did not express myself unambiguously. The kind of risk I was referring to was the business risk. Risk from competition, failure of the business, etc. Because government organizations or government link organizations face less risk than private companies , their top executives should therefore be rewarded less than in the private sector.

The problem is, salary not a reward, to be doled out according to some logical or moral principle. It is a price for services rendered, much like how you would pay a plumber to fix a leaking faucet, or a taxicab driver to get you from point A to point B.

Like any price, it is determined by supply and demand. Top executives get paid the big bucks because there just aren't that many executives with decades of experience running international corporations in the job market. Often, these top executives need to be "poached" from other big companies, so obviously you need high salaries and amazing benefits to lure them in.

State-owned enterprises need to compete for the same pool of executive talent as private enterprises, therefore, they need to offer comparable incentives. Job security may be a concern for the average office worker, but not really a good incentive for executives who can get a new job with ease.

 

[delft]

Are you saying mobile nuclear generator project delays are caused by environmental red tape and not technical or manufacturing problems? That doesn't sound quite right to me, given China's thirst for energy and the fact we're talking about two countries with less-than-stellar environmental protection histories. Please provide links to your source.

Not so much red tape as that each country has its own tradition of regulating and after Fukushima that will have been extended and not yet tested. The reactors will be larger than used in ships, the barges will be larger than the ships. There will be plenty of work here.
Can you mention a country with a stellar environmental protection history?

There are major research on sustainable fusion in US, EU, China, and Japan, but I'll bet dollars to donuts the key breakthrough would come from someone doing experiments in his or her garage.

First you need a concept. Then you need to use a pretty powerful supercomputer to investigate the behavior of the plasma in the machine using the best theories available. Then you need to build a test reactor.
For the first you even don't need a garage. If someone comes up with a brilliantly simple concept (s)he might need just a Linux box with several video cards to be the first supercomputer. But before going to the first test reactor you will probably need a big one. And you're not going to build that test reactor in your garage.

 

[Equation]

Whoa Nelly. What is up with this...can anyone else has any other source to confirm this? Looks like the new DPRK regime needs to be careful about thinking to bite the ONLY hands that feeds it.

North Korea has reportedly moved tanks as well as armored vehicles to its border with China.

The vehicles are reportedly being sent to an army corps near the border, The Chosun Ilbo, one of South Korea's largest newspapers, reports. North Korea's 12th Corps is in charge of "responding to movements of Chinese troops in an emergency."

There is some cause for skepticism, however, as the report came from a single, unnamed source, and nothing has been confirmed by China or North Korea. The source claimed that the tanks and armored vehicles were moved to the border because North Korea fears China could "betray" it over its nuclear program.

If true, though, it would be the latest example of China and North Korea's fraying relationship. While China is by far North Korea's most important ally — and the main provider of its fuel, arms, and food — Beijing is reportedly growing tired of Pyongyang's behavior, especially the renewal of its nuclear program. It was even said that China recently cut off North Korea's fuel supply. So the question is: Is this North Korea's way of telling China it won't be easily bullied?

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[Miragedriver]

Fusion energy is like a mirage. Everytime, it is another such and such years away. Thorium looks like will be nearer to reality.

Interesting video of Liquid Fluoride Thorium Reactors (LFTR).

[video=youtube;uK367T7h6ZY]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uK367T7h6ZY[/video]



I will now get back to bottling my Malbec

 

[solarz]

Whoa Nelly. What is up with this...can anyone else has any other source to confirm this? Looks like the new DPRK regime needs to be careful about thinking to bite the ONLY hands that feeds it.

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Very unlikely to be true. If China wanted to topple the Kim regime, it doesn't need to send out a single soldier. All it needs to do is cut off aid supplies.

 

[broadsword]

State-owned enterprises need to compete for the same pool of executive talent as private enterprises, therefore, they need to offer comparable incentives. Job security may be a concern for the average office worker, but not really a good incentive for executives who can get a new job with ease.

I was referring to a different situation from what you have in mind.

If the state-owned enterprises are in a competitive business with privately-owned enterprises, it is fair that they pay comparable incentives to attract talent.

But if the state-owned enterprises operate as a monopoly or near monopoly by the power of law, then it does not make sense to pay comparable remuneration, especially when the CEO has much risk of getting fired than if he were to work in the private sector.

One example of a near monopoly is the subway. In my country, there is only one operator and it controls half of the public vehicular transport. It is a pretty cushy job.

 

[rhino123]

Whoa Nelly. What is up with this...can anyone else has any other source to confirm this? Looks like the new DPRK regime needs to be careful about thinking to bite the ONLY hands that feeds it.

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I will wait and see further development. Frankly, since there is only one source mentioning it and no others, I highly doubt the facts in it.

I mean, NK may be reckless, but they are not stupid. If not for China... NK would have fallen many times over.. and frankly speaking, NK is not without powerful enemies - eg. SK, US, Japan... not to mention... China herself. Sooo... why would NK risk any of that?

 

[broadsword]

S Korea is known to spread wild rumors about the North also.