Equation
Lieutenant General
Misery loves company.
Chinese Economics Thread
- Thread starter Norfolk
- Start date
Misery loves company.
there is one more vital player that has to join, Taiwan. there is 3 more days. Vincent siew is in Boao right now so lets see how this plays out.There was of course no doubt that Russia would join. But it would be easier for London to join if Russia hadn't joined yet. And you see how effective that was.
broadsword
Brigadier
China's Guangdong province invests billions in robot factories
Zool
Junior Member
I can't see that happening at all, as the view from China is one of Taiwan being a Chinese Territory, akin to the SAR of Hong Kong (which won't be joining independent of China either).
What I can see is China leveraging AIIB funds for development work in Taiwan, on Taiwan's behalf, where the cross-straight relationship is on a positive trend. Something akin to a sweetener benefit toward eventual reunification.
AssassinsMace
Lieutenant General
What they are underestimating is the fact that REAL wages in China are increasing. The nominal wages are increasing by 12 to 13% a year while real wages are increasing for about 8% a year. So more and more people can afford these HSR rides. This is mainly because the Chinese economy is moving up the value chain rapidly and on a broad bases and the Chinese are doing more and more value added work. These days they are not only doing that for foreign companies like Samsung, Sony or Apple. But increasingly they are also doing that for domestic brands like Huawei, Haier and Lenovo that are now starting to find more and more international markets. This all could happen because of a better educated work force, more investments in R&D and improvements in transport and utilities has also helped.
So most of the transport and utility investments in China are going to pay off but the commercial and residential real estate may become a problem in the future. But that may not be enough for the sky to fall down on the Chinese economy.
Taiwan might be accepted as an associate member. This would accentuate the isolation of US.
solarz
Brigadier
I've said it before, the claims of HSR being too expensive for "ordinary" Chinese riders was complete BS.
Here's a sample price list of transportation prices from Beijing to Shanghai:
By plane, it's 619 yuan, and takes 2:15 hours (not including transportation to and from the airport, check-in and security, etc.)
By HSR (高铁), it's 553 yuan and takes 5:37 hours.
By "Dongche, it's 309 yuan and takes 11:53 hours.
By normal speed rail, it's 177 yuan and takes 15:11 hours.
But wait, the price for the last two options are for seats only. For trips that take over 10 hours, people will usually want to get a bed instead. The price for those becomes 696 yuan and 325 yuan respectively.
So, if I wanted to travel from Shanghai to Beijing, here are my options:
1- Pay 619 yuan for a flight. The flight itself is 2 hours. You need to get to the airport 3 hours before hand. That right there is at least 5 hours. Then I have to endure cramped seating and air sickness for 2 hours.
2- Pay 553 yuan for HSR. Get to the train station 30 minutes before hand. Instead of the stress of security check-ins and boarding, I get to sit in a comfortable seat for 5 hours and enjoying the scenery outside, and be able to make phone calls when needed.
3- Pay 309 yuan and sit for 12 hours. Or save a bit more and sit for 15 hours.
I know which option I'm picking!
Oh, there's another option I forgot: I can also take the bus. Apparently, it's 341 yuan. Why I would want to do that though, I have no idea.
AssassinsMace
Lieutenant General
The same with real estate prices. Before it was too high and would cause a hard landing. Now the doom and gloom critics are talking about how will China keep property prices up. Where's the hard landing from the property bubble bursting?
Equation
Lieutenant General
There's never ever going to be good news are praise when it comes to China economy from the naysayers and doubters.