24 July 2012 - albatross farm 2
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Qin: This one’s a bit small, but it’s pretty—rare earths.
economist: Oh, cornering production with low prices by trashing
your own rivers, then switching tack.
policy wonk: Is that part of the Five Year Plan to increase
domestic consumption?
economist: Or is to exploit temporary lower domestic prices
to move up the value chain?
policy wonk: By drawing in foreign expertise?
economist: Or do you just want to clean up the mass pollution
you stuck yourself with?
Qin: Whatever, go with the flow!
clue:
For my money, drawing in foreign expertise to accelerate the move to
producing higher-value products is the biggest reason. A textbook
example of how to build a corner and then convert the corner to a
different kind of advantage. The whole move happens faster than the
glacial reactions of the WTO, so China can pretend to be playing
fair the whole time.
give me a clue so sweet and true
copyright 2012, 2024 Jay J.P. Scott
<jay@satirist.org>