this post was submitted on 23 Aug 2023
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The Chinese leader has flown out to South Africa for the summit but asked his commerce minister to read out his remarks.

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[–] MicroWave 51 points 1 year ago (5 children)

In a thinly-veiled swipe at the United States, Mr Wang said "some country, obsessed with maintaining its hegemony, has gone out of its way to cripple the emerging markets and developing countries".

"Whoever is developing fast becomes its target of containment. Whoever is catching up, becomes its target of obstructions."

The remarks are another development in the growing friction between the US and China - with Mr Xi having earlier blamed the West for the difficulties faced by his country's economy.

[–] partial_accumen 95 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Mr Wang said “some country, obsessed with maintaining its hegemony, has gone out of its way to cripple the emerging markets and developing countries”.

China is #2 in global GDP not far behind the USA. China clings to the "emerging markets" or "developing countries" labels for itself to in gain critical benefits of unequal trade imbalances and lack of regulation. It's currency is now being used by a handful of countries instead of the USD/EURO. I'm not sure it can claim "emerging markets" or "developing countries" labels itself anymore.

[–] [email protected] 45 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Additionally, I'm not sure how China would have reached this position without a specific effort by the United States to engage in increased trade with them.

We said we would trade more in the hopes of an improving human rights situation and steps toward democratic self-rule.

We didn't get what we were promised. Stop whining, Xi.

[–] [email protected] 46 points 1 year ago (2 children)

We traded with China because it was profitable, the same reason we trade with India despite them being run by a literal fascist. The same reason why we support Saudi Arabia, a literal terror state.

[–] [email protected] 11 points 1 year ago (1 children)

No, actually, all actions taken by Americans are in service of human rights. Even when we jerk off, we do so solely with the intention of expanding democracy.

[–] Aceticon 3 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

"Wank for Freedom!"

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago

Reel it back in cuz it's more complicated than that. Modi is a very recent development and India is very proud of their government and country through their fight for Independence. I hope they can kick that donkey's ass out soon because they deserve better.

KSA primarily offers stability, not profitability. They provide oil to US allies and counter Iran's influence. Also notably, until the 2022 escalation, KSA was also the #1 oil importer for China.

[–] hark 24 points 1 year ago (1 children)

You thought we were trading with China for the human rights instead of for the cheap labor?

[–] [email protected] 10 points 1 year ago

The US is basically Willy Wonka mumbling “Stop. Don’t.” When it comes to human rights in China. Just the minimum effort to maintain the illusion of caring.

[–] [email protected] 23 points 1 year ago (1 children)

It's always the west's fault, ever notice that? Man we just ruin everything..

[–] randomperson 18 points 1 year ago

You don't buy enough of low quality plastic shit which cripples their economy that's based on producing low quality plastic shit.

[–] [email protected] 20 points 1 year ago

Thats rich, coming from China lmao

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago

Has he tried blaming himself? Dictatorships are not successful as we've all learned.

[–] WheelcharArtist 19 points 1 year ago (3 children)
[–] [email protected] 43 points 1 year ago (1 children)
[–] EnglishMobster 10 points 1 year ago

Fuck tankies!

[–] [email protected] -2 points 1 year ago

Trade war! This is because of a trade war!

Good soldier! Keep fighting for different rich people!

[–] [email protected] 17 points 1 year ago (1 children)

This is the best summary I could come up with:


Chinese President Xi Jinping unexpectedly pulled out of delivering a speech at the BRICS summit in South Africa - leading to speculation he might be unwell.

Bill Bishop, author of Sinocism, a popular newsletter about Chinese affairs, highlighted how there had already been a long period this month with Mr Xi not making any public appearances.

The China Global South Project, a podcast exploring the country's involvement in Africa, wrote: "To say [Xi's absence] is extraordinary is an understatement as Chinese leaders never miss highly choreographed events like this."

James Palmer, deputy editor of Foreign Policy magazine, wrote: "The odds are very heavily that Xi Jinping just skipped that speech because he's sick."

Russian President Vladimir Putin has not attended the summit as he currently faces an arrest warrant for war crimes which was issued by the International Criminal Court.

The five BRICS countries are home to 40% of the world's population and responsible for more than 30% of global economic output, and more than 20 nations have applied to join, according to South African officials, including Saudi Arabia, Iran and the United Arab Emirates.


The original article contains 554 words, the summary contains 185 words. Saved 67%. I'm a bot and I'm open source!

[–] needthosepylons 3 points 1 year ago
[–] givesomefucks 9 points 1 year ago

Leaving Brazil, India, and South Africa to listen to putler...

Although, I guess Xi is still going to be there? Just not personally delivering a speech

[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 year ago (3 children)

I really don't know enough to know, but if all these countries that aren't really friends with the west but have been using the dollar stop doing so, what interest does the west have in maintaining trade? I understand China gained it's economic status because they were willing to do the labor and manufacturing the west didn't want to. Are they hoping that if the west stops buying their stuff the global south will buy enough to make up for it?

[–] [email protected] 38 points 1 year ago (4 children)

what interest does the west have in maintaining trade?

It's long been thought the only reason there's been no WWIII is because countries that don't necessarily like each other have created mutually beneficial trade deals together.

As long as the trade deals lead to better outcomes than war, these countries should maintain peace. For example, Australia recently purchased 8 advanced nuclear powered submarines for a cost of $368 billion. The main reason for the purchase is to protect their international trade routes from being shut down by China...who is their largest trading partner. Why would you spend so much money on military weapons to protect your trade with China, from China?? It's because Australia wants to ensure China knows keeping their trade deals running is the most beneficial option for everyone.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago

That makes sense thank you for explaining.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago (2 children)

It's long been thought the only reason there's been no WWIII is because countries that don't necessarily like each other have created mutually beneficial trade deals together.

And then Russia decided to go to war regardless. I'm not sure whether this has shown us that war prevention based on mutual trade is an illusion, or that Russian economic difficulties prove that it works. Maybe time will tell, but in any case I'm not sure the dead will be happy that Russia's economy will suffer.

I mean, it makes perfect sense that you're not going to start a war for economic reasons if it's worse than just trade, but what happens when someone decides that they want war for reasons other than economic. For example, country A has a lot of people with their main nationality in the bordering countries, and someone stirrs up nationalist sentiments and they want their country to ecompass all regions where their nationals live, regardless of economic benefits/drawbacks.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago

They didn't intend for there to be a war. They fully expected to just walk in without much resistance, take over the country without much hassle similarly to how they took over Crimea, install a puppet government, and have the west barely react just as we haven't been reacting to their annexation of parts of Georgia, Crimea, and their conflict in Donbass for years

[–] MataVatnik 4 points 1 year ago

Toxic ideologies. It's kind of crazy how they can drive countries to do things against their best self interest.

[–] Jackolantern 4 points 1 year ago

Good explanation. Thank you

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Those subs won't arrive for decades though

[–] [email protected] -1 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago

If you want a sub fast, I know a guy that used to make them.

[–] Savvy95 3 points 1 year ago

Here's a good podcast about US petro-dollars & how it impacts the world economy

[Congressional Dish] CD276: The Demise of Dollar Dominance #congressionalDish https://podcastaddict.com/congressional-dish/episode/159774687 via @PodcastAddict

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago

It's a new Cold War. Quality of life matters less than being able to stick it to the other guy. For the Soviets, empty grocery stores and gray concrete block housing are tolerable if it means winning against the decadent West. The West had dumbass proxy wars of containment and abrogation of freedoms (HUAC, FBI bullshit).

I think we'll have trade but you'll see state intervention to boost alternatives in the respective spheres with a 3rd World (OG definition) in the middle.