So why do we keep buying Chinese ?
Discussion
There might be few alternatives but people in the west need to wake up when they consider buying their electric car or their new phone etc Made in China should we stop and think before we buy ?
https://amp.theguardian.com/technology/2022/nov/24...
https://amp.theguardian.com/technology/2022/nov/24...
Who are "we"?
As the average man on the street, it is by and large impossible to avoid buying items that are in some way sourced from China without making some serious lifestyle compromises.
Change can only come from the the manufacturers and the supply chains, through import tariffs and tightened regulations on provably ethical sourcing. All of which is politically and economically very expensive so I don't expect to see any real movement until absolutely forced to - for example, if China invaded Taiwan or something equally as internationally explosive.
As the average man on the street, it is by and large impossible to avoid buying items that are in some way sourced from China without making some serious lifestyle compromises.
Change can only come from the the manufacturers and the supply chains, through import tariffs and tightened regulations on provably ethical sourcing. All of which is politically and economically very expensive so I don't expect to see any real movement until absolutely forced to - for example, if China invaded Taiwan or something equally as internationally explosive.
Pitre said:
What I don't understand is why we don't have higher import duty on items from China? I'm sure they don't buy anything from us, so there's zero trade going the other way....
https://www.ons.gov.uk/economy/nationalaccounts/ba...figures said:
n 2021, China was the UK's largest import partner and sixth-largest export partner for goods.
The UK imported £63.6 billion of goods from China in 2021 (13.3% of all goods imports to the UK) and exported £18.8 billion of goods (5.8% of all goods exports from the UK).
The main goods import from China in 2021 was machinery and transport equipment (£27.5 billion), primarily office machinery and telecoms and sound equipment; machinery and transport equipment was also the main goods export (£7.7 billion).
In 2021, the UK imported £2.5 billion of services from China (1.4% of all services imports) and exported £8.2 billion of services (2.7% of all services exports).
The main services import from China was other business services (£1.1 billion), while the main services export was travel (£2.8 billion), specifically personal travel.
China is one of the UK's largest trading partners, accounting for £93.0 billion (7.3%) of the UK's total trade in 2021.
The UK had a £39.1 billion trade deficit with China in 2021, which means we imported more than we exported; we had a £44.8 billion trade deficit in goods which was offset by a £5.7 billion surplus in services.
The UK imported £63.6 billion of goods from China in 2021 (13.3% of all goods imports to the UK) and exported £18.8 billion of goods (5.8% of all goods exports from the UK).
The main goods import from China in 2021 was machinery and transport equipment (£27.5 billion), primarily office machinery and telecoms and sound equipment; machinery and transport equipment was also the main goods export (£7.7 billion).
In 2021, the UK imported £2.5 billion of services from China (1.4% of all services imports) and exported £8.2 billion of services (2.7% of all services exports).
The main services import from China was other business services (£1.1 billion), while the main services export was travel (£2.8 billion), specifically personal travel.
China is one of the UK's largest trading partners, accounting for £93.0 billion (7.3%) of the UK's total trade in 2021.
The UK had a £39.1 billion trade deficit with China in 2021, which means we imported more than we exported; we had a £44.8 billion trade deficit in goods which was offset by a £5.7 billion surplus in services.
Because it’s cheap, the consumer wants cheap products, think of a washing machine you buy for £300, there’s no way a UK factory can pay even minimum wage to produce that here with the cost of labour, taxes and materials, that’s why hoover in merthyr Tydfil moved to their whole production to China.
Put simply, it’s going to come back and bite us in the arse, we’ve moved everything over there to cut costs and the government is happy because it can say it’s reduced emmisions when it’s simply shipped them to China.
It’s already realising the errors of its way but is still a bit stuffed, government buildings are being stripped of Hikvision CCTV which became popular because it’s at least 20% cheaper than its German or American rivals,
The 5g network isn’t aloud to have Hawaii in it any longer and BT Are slowly stripping it out in their 4g networks and fibre Hubs in favour of Nokia and Ericsson they where using because, they are kicking up a fuss because it’s more expensive,
The Chinese dangled the carrot of a companies favourite thing, reduced costs, and eveyone jumped turning a blind eye to human rights records and the big elephant in the room that as soon as they like, China will be able to choke the west of anything it likes and just like with Russia will feel almost no repercussions from it because it’s simply to catastrophic to do so.
We will bring our own downfall on ourselves
China barely imports anything of note from us and I’m sure what it does is just luxury goods to keep the rich Chinese people happy but would be nothing really missed (cars and designer clothes)
Put simply, it’s going to come back and bite us in the arse, we’ve moved everything over there to cut costs and the government is happy because it can say it’s reduced emmisions when it’s simply shipped them to China.
It’s already realising the errors of its way but is still a bit stuffed, government buildings are being stripped of Hikvision CCTV which became popular because it’s at least 20% cheaper than its German or American rivals,
The 5g network isn’t aloud to have Hawaii in it any longer and BT Are slowly stripping it out in their 4g networks and fibre Hubs in favour of Nokia and Ericsson they where using because, they are kicking up a fuss because it’s more expensive,
The Chinese dangled the carrot of a companies favourite thing, reduced costs, and eveyone jumped turning a blind eye to human rights records and the big elephant in the room that as soon as they like, China will be able to choke the west of anything it likes and just like with Russia will feel almost no repercussions from it because it’s simply to catastrophic to do so.
We will bring our own downfall on ourselves
China barely imports anything of note from us and I’m sure what it does is just luxury goods to keep the rich Chinese people happy but would be nothing really missed (cars and designer clothes)
Pitre said:
What I don't understand is why we don't have higher import duty on items from China? I'm sure they don't buy anything from us, so there's zero trade going the other way....
They may not buy much, except at Bicester Shopping Village, (when they are allowed out, that is) but they do import a fair amount of I.P that they have nicked.Edited by andygo on Monday 28th November 14:44
dxg said:
We've allowed our manufacturing base to wither to such an extent, that we have little choice left.
Unless we want a dramatic drop in quality of life. Maybe these Jost Stop Oil people are online something, after all...
Well, manufacturing is generally polluting, energy intensive and messy. So they may be onto something, but they're doing it in the wrong country Unless we want a dramatic drop in quality of life. Maybe these Jost Stop Oil people are online something, after all...
Unless their cause is to stop us importing stuff? Who knows.
Because it's difficult to avoid.
Can someone name me a mobile phone I could buy that contains no Chinese components?
Or a laptop?
Where was the computer you're typing this on made?
It's one where however hard you try it's either next to actually impossible or you severely limit your options.
And once you do go down the "it's China" path do you apply the same rigorous standards to the next country?
Can someone name me a mobile phone I could buy that contains no Chinese components?
Or a laptop?
Where was the computer you're typing this on made?
It's one where however hard you try it's either next to actually impossible or you severely limit your options.
And once you do go down the "it's China" path do you apply the same rigorous standards to the next country?
Look at the amount of people falling over themselves to buy useless Chinese tat from that will be put in a cupboard and forgotten about a week later and ultimately end up as landfill.
Amazon and the majority of shops have built a business based on the ten second buzz people get from buying useless tat.
Take a look at the high street and just how many shops there are out there selling useless junk.
Seeing how busy the shops were over the recent black Friday just proves that people will buy any old crap if they believe it is "bargain"
I personally don't understand it, but there are millions of people out there doing exactly this and keeping the economy ticking over.
Even brands that trade on their Britishness and perceived Luxury such as Dr Martin, Hunter Wellies and Barbour coats are built at reduced cost and quality in China now.
Amazon and the majority of shops have built a business based on the ten second buzz people get from buying useless tat.
Take a look at the high street and just how many shops there are out there selling useless junk.
Seeing how busy the shops were over the recent black Friday just proves that people will buy any old crap if they believe it is "bargain"
I personally don't understand it, but there are millions of people out there doing exactly this and keeping the economy ticking over.
Even brands that trade on their Britishness and perceived Luxury such as Dr Martin, Hunter Wellies and Barbour coats are built at reduced cost and quality in China now.
Edited by anonymous-user on Monday 28th November 16:58
When China opened up, loads of businesses in UK sold their machinery to them, were talking old kit like lathes fly & brake presses etc.
This type of manufacturing kit would easily have carried on in the UK for ever knocking out pans saucepans metal boxes or rejigged to make something else, now that same machinery is still knocking that stuff out and we buy it back from China while the UK factories closed down & made most redundant.
I have noted both on Ebay & Amazon that years ago business savvy companies were high tailing it to China and ship containers of tatt back to the UK and selling it themselves but most of those enterprising businesses have been bypassed as nearly everything is now sold by a Chinese National in the UK most likely sent by China so near on all the profit returns to China.
This type of manufacturing kit would easily have carried on in the UK for ever knocking out pans saucepans metal boxes or rejigged to make something else, now that same machinery is still knocking that stuff out and we buy it back from China while the UK factories closed down & made most redundant.
I have noted both on Ebay & Amazon that years ago business savvy companies were high tailing it to China and ship containers of tatt back to the UK and selling it themselves but most of those enterprising businesses have been bypassed as nearly everything is now sold by a Chinese National in the UK most likely sent by China so near on all the profit returns to China.
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