Miscellaneous News

Some random thoughts:

On Tesla FSD in China now:
I was thinking it would take a few more months for FSD to be deployed in China. From initial responses to its recent release in China, I feel Tesla was rushing. And I could understand why. It is abundantly obvious right now that intelligent/autonomous driving is a national movement in China this year, from top to bottom. It is very likely, as reported earlier, that China will allow L3 on public roads starting from April. Tesla brand was already hurt a little by competition in 2024. Therefore, Tesla had not better choice but release FSD now and deal with whatever comes later. So far my perception is that FSD may survive in highway but will perform subpar in cities or counties. By the end of this year, we will see who are naked anyhow. So we are going to find that out in a few months.

On adding 10% tariff on China imports:
China so far surprises me in that, (1) China is still in wait-and-see mode; (2) China seems more prepared for the worst case scenarios; and (3) China is not in a mode to talk right now. It is said that there is going to be big surprise in tonight State of the Union address.

On recent stock market correction:
The current market is running on perceptions. Stakes are so high for so many rich-and-famous that it would not be profitable to bet in either direction. At this moment, "cash is king" may not sound "dumb".

RedBaron said:

"Germany’s chancellor-in-waiting Friedrich Merz is considering unlocking hundreds of billions in extra funding for the country’s military and infrastructure as coalition talks with Social Democrats gather pace.

One option under review is a proposal by top German economists to raise up to €800bn in new public borrowing for two separate off-budget funds over a decade, said two people with knowledge of the matter.

A third person briefed on the early-stage negotiations said they were centred on a combined €500bn package. The people cautioned that other options could be examined.

Such a plan would mark a step-change in Germany’s traditionally conservative approach to public borrowing. Berlin in 2009 enshrined a debt brake in its constitution, which limits government borrowing and keeps the structural deficit at 0.35 per cent of GDP.

The economists’ proposal would be “a double bazooka”, said Armin Steinbach, professor of economics at HEC, referring to the term used for Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s stimulus during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The proposal would stimulate a stagnating economy and signal that the EU’s largest democracy is serious about increasing defence capabilities at a time when the US administration is seeking to unwind the transatlantic alliance".


"Germany’s next chancellor has signalled he wants to use the outgoing parliament’s supermajority to pass the constitutional amendments that such borrowing would require, because his government would probably be blocked by the far-right Alternative for Germany and far-left Die Linke in the next parliament.

The outgoing parliament can be reconvened in an extraordinary session until March 25".

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Concerning...

Biscuits said:

Goes on to prove that the last great geopolitical strategists are basically in China only. US strategy doesn't go much further than their forebearer the moustache man or Napoleon... Only threats, invasion, coercion followed by looting.

Not only did China brilliantly out play US to obtain the biggest spoils from the breakup of the USSR despite US putting in most of the effort, they also let US take home 3 chihuahuas in the divorce, which US celebrated as a huge victory back then.

Like chekovs gun reaching its intended target decades later, those very same dogs became the catalyst that might as well make US lose ALL(most) of NATO today.

Wang Huning is a one in a generation genius. If you think there are coincidences, he wrote a book in 1988 that more or less accurately predicts America in 2025. Obviously, he couldn't have planned every single detail about how Trump will be elected and then forced to fight EU today, decades in advance, but there's all evidence that he knew exactly the broad trends and that "something had to give" eventually as long as he keeps applying pressure.

Kissinger was truly in luck as he was born too late to face Zhou Enlai and born too early to face Wang Huning.

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Wang Huning isn’t even that great. Real issue is that he has no competition.

BlackWindMnt said:

Concerning...

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Brzezinski

The Grand ChessBoard PDF

from the Central that they called intelligent

[deleted]

China suspends import of U.S. logs

　　Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, March 4 - General Administration of Customs issued a notice on March 4, said that recently, China Customs in the import of U.S. logs were detected in the Bark beetle, Longhorn beetle and other quarantine forest pests. In order to prevent the introduction of harmful organisms, to protect China's agricultural and forestry production and ecological security, according to the “Biosecurity Law of the People's Republic of China”, “Law of the People's Republic of China on the Entry and Exit Animal and Plant Quarantine” and its implementing regulations, international standards for phytosanitary measures and other relevant provisions, the General Administration of Customs decided to suspend the import of U.S. logs since the date of publication of this announcement.

He is actually directing the US Federal Govt to buy shitcoins

China suspended three U.S. enterprises soybean exports to China qualification

　　Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, March 4 - General Administration of Customs issued a notice on March 4, recently, China Customs in the import of U.S. soybeans detected ergot and seed coating agent soybean. In order to protect the health of Chinese consumers, to ensure imported food security, according to “The Food Safety Law of the People's Republic of China” and its implementing regulations, “ Entry and Exit Grain Inspection and Quarantine Supervision and Administration Measures” and other provisions, as well as the World Trade Organization “Agreement on the Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures” relevant provisions, the customs authority has decided to suspend the soybean export qualifications to China for three involved US companies effective from the date of this announcement. The affected companies are:
CHS Inc. (Chinese registration number: QUSA0824071600058),
LOUIS DREYFUS COMPANY GRAINS MERCHANDISING LLC (Chinese Registration No.: QUSA0823071500143, QUSA0824071600057),
EGT, LLC (Chinese registration number: QUSA0823071500087)

China launches anti-circumvention probe into imported optical fiber products from U.S.​

Source: Xinhua
Editor: huaxia
2025-03-04 23:57:30

BEIJING, March 4 (Xinhua) -- China's Ministry of Commerce on Tuesday announced that it has launched an anti-circumvention investigation into certain optical fiber products imported from the United States.
The products under investigation are certain cut-off shifted single-mode optical fiber products, the ministry said in a statement, adding that the investigation period is six months, starting from March 4, and may be extended under special circumstances.
The ministry said it initiated the investigation after receiving an application from a domestic firm in February.
After reviewing the firm's application and related evidence in accordance with relevant regulations, the ministry concluded that the applicant's claims meet the requirements to file an anti-circumvention investigation, the statement said.
This is the first anti-circumvention investigation in China, a ministry spokesperson said, noting that the purpose of such investigations is to ensure the effect of trade remedy measures, and that many members of the World Trade Organization (WTO) have engaged in such practices.
Evidence submitted by the applicant shows that U.S. exporters may have circumvented China's anti-dumping measures on related U.S. optical fiber products by exporting certain cut-off shifted single-mode optical fiber products to China.
Authorities will conduct the investigation in accordance with the law, fully protect the rights of all stakeholders, and issue an objective and impartial decision based on the results of the investigation, the spokesperson said.
Shi Xiaoli, a professor at the School of International Law, China University of Political Science and Law, said that the initiation of this investigation aligns with China's legal provisions and the common practices of WTO members, and will prevent potential circumvention practices by relevant U.S. producers or exporters.
"This will enrich China's trade remedy investigation practices and make our country's trade remedy measures more effective," she told Xinhua.
If the investigation determines that circumvention exists, China may adopt necessary anti-circumvention measures such as expanding the scope of tariffs, according to Shi.


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