China welcomes 'old friend' Robert Mugabe with a 21-gun salute

[Publicus]

Woof, Woof.

US Dollar still the dominant World currency.

US-Japanese military capability significantly superior to China's.

Mugabe is an irritation to the Soul.

Xi Jinping and his cronies.....?

Big men.

US Currency - For now de facto trading currency ...for how long that's debatable

US - Japan technological military advantage - agreed

US politicians who are gutless for long wars and long term agreements and solutions - dilutes the above since most military actions consists of inaccurate and massive bombing with no actual strategy for land based ops or solutions ...after a few months everything goes back to square one

Japanese - I will agree those guys can fight better and with a good samurai spirit braver than most ..you seen them fight a brutal war in Asia in WWII ...respect given

Against a land population of 1.3 billion ...let's just say military wise there is very little good options

Good thing the Chinese focuses on trade more than the military ...can't say the same of USA...they are pretty penniless and still they need and want a strong military to advocate noise ...

I see you don't tire of missing the boat every time. You have a real need to reset your watch and to check the century of your calendar.

The U.S. has always been laser focused on trade. It established the petrodollar to enhance the USD as the global currency of trade - and the USD is by far the world's forex reserve currency.

The CNY/RMB is monopoly game money and the world knows it, the Boyz in Beijing know it. Some governments have chosen to humor the CCP Boyz by establishing centers of currency for trade, but this is insignificant and inconsequential and all parties know it.

Beijing must do 101 central things to make its currency real, things it will not and cannot do. First and foremost to free float the CNY in the global markets which it cannot afford to do. Second is to open its capital market to global investment which it cannot afford to do.

FDI in the U.S. continues to be consistently strong which enables trade deficits Beijing cannot afford. The reality is that China's capital markets are woefully tiny and grossly corrupt, so the CCP Boyz cannot afford to open them. When will the CCP's capital markets be adequate? Not before the CNY is free floated and not before the CCP adopts a market economy fully and completely - which is never. It anyway would take the CCP decades to come abreast of even European capital markets which themselves are deep but nowhere as deep as in the U.S.

I wonder if Mugabe bought (or was gifted of) any USD$ while he was being celebrated in Beijing.

[Ricardo]

Nah ...for uncontrolled capitalism, materialism, pretense of money and lack of credit controls ..USA is the undisputed No 1 in the world. Can't see anyone beating that in the near future.

Although it is a tight race, given the ghost cities in the PRC (lack of credit controls) and the propensity for those connected to the Han culture to burn money at funerals to insure the deceased have funds in their imagined heaven (materialism), I have to give the nod to the Chinese.

Is that real money, seems odd for the usually ultra-practical Chinese, or fake money like the paper-TVs & paper-computers & so-on ?

There's an old saying, to tell what someone is really like, look at the friends who are drawn to them instead of whatever image they themselves project. On which basis having friends like Mugabe, and honouring them like this, doesn't reflect well on the PRC. Do they even realise that ?

[Publicus]

Nah ...for uncontrolled capitalism, materialism, pretense of money and lack of credit controls ..USA is the undisputed No 1 in the world. Can't see anyone beating that in the near future.

Although it is a tight race, given the ghost cities in the PRC (lack of credit controls) and the propensity for those connected to the Han culture to burn money at funerals to insure the deceased have funds in their imagined heaven (materialism), I have to give the nod to the Chinese.

Is that real money, seems odd for the usually ultra-practical Chinese, or fake money like the paper-TVs & paper-computers & so-on ?

There's an old saying, to tell what someone is really like, look at the friends who are drawn to them instead of whatever image they themselves project. On which basis having friends like Mugabe, and honouring them like this, doesn't reflect well on the PRC. Do they even realise that ?

1) As you know the "money" burned at funerals in China is imitation money, not real money. The average Chinese does not have, never has had, money to burn as it were. The idea is to express the good sprits of the living to the rising spirit of the deceased for comfort and ease in the Heavens. No "soul" is involved in the belief system however.

2) The CCP Boyz in Beijing don't care what the world thinks of them or believes about them. The one absolute certainty the Chinese have, and always have had, is that the world comes to China because China is the Celestial Heavenly Middle Kingdom on the earth, the Central Kingdom. Unfortunately for the world, the Chinese learned nothing during the past 200 years that contradicted this and that continues to contradict it indefinitely. Which means there's a bad moon rising over the peoples of the earth.

The money thing is comical in certain respects. For a while when I taught in Thailand I myself bought a bunch of fake Thai baht available in open markets and elsewhere of each denomination of the currency. In class I'd give out the imitation baht notes to learners who did well. If a learner did ok, he'd get maybe 20 imitation baht. Pretty well 50 imitation baht, very well 100, up to the thousand of imitation baht. It was a very popular scheme among the fun loving Thai learners I had for several years.

When I went to the PRChina I saw similar imitation Chinese yuan in an open market and went straight to it quite pleased to have made the find. I mentioned my Thailand imitation cash reward scheme in my classes to my PRChinese friends who went nearly into an apoplexy to strongly say to me NOT to do that in China. They explained why, which took me aback some but which I simply accepted. Different strokes for different folks, for sure.

[LawrenceChee]

Nah ...for uncontrolled capitalism, materialism, pretense of money and lack of credit controls ..USA is the undisputed No 1 in the world. Can't see anyone beating that in the near future.

Although it is a tight race, given the ghost cities in the PRC (lack of credit controls) and the propensity for those connected to the Han culture to burn money at funerals to insure the deceased have funds in their imagined heaven (materialism), I have to give the nod to the Chinese.

Is that real money, seems odd for the usually ultra-practical Chinese, or fake money like the paper-TVs & paper-computers & so-on ?

There's an old saying, to tell what someone is really like, look at the friends who are drawn to them instead of whatever image they themselves project. On which basis having friends like Mugabe, and honouring them like this, doesn't reflect well on the PRC. Do they even realise that ?

1) As you know the "money" burned at funerals in China is imitation money, not real money. The average Chinese does not have, never has had, money to burn as it were. The idea is to express the good sprits of the living to the rising spirit of the deceased for comfort and ease in the Heavens. No "soul" is involved in the belief system however.

2) The CCP Boyz in Beijing don't care what the world thinks of them or believes about them. The one absolute certainty the Chinese have, and always have had, is that the world comes to China because China is the Celestial Heavenly Middle Kingdom on the earth, the Central Kingdom. Unfortunately for the world, the Chinese learned nothing during the past 200 years that contradicted this and that continues to contradict it indefinitely. Which means there's a bad moon rising over the peoples of the earth.

The money thing is comical in certain respects. For a while when I taught in Thailand I myself bought a bunch of fake Thai baht available in open markets and elsewhere of each denomination of the currency. In class I'd give out the imitation baht notes to learners who did well. If a learner did ok, he'd get maybe 20 imitation baht. Pretty well 50 imitation baht, very well 100, up to the thousand of imitation baht. It was a very popular scheme among the fun loving Thai learners I had for several years.

When I went to the PRChina I saw similar imitation Chinese yuan in an open market and went straight to it quite pleased to have made the find. I mentioned my Thailand imitation cash reward scheme in my classes to my PRChinese friends who went nearly into an apoplexy to strongly say to me NOT to do that in China. They explained why, which took me aback some but which I simply accepted. Different strokes for different folks, for sure.

I find it distasteful that anyone will mock funeral rites ...whether you have a perceived hatred for china and its systems or not.

It speaks of upbringing, its speaks of one's character and the forum members certainly deserves better.

China doesn't play by the west rules or defined systems and I am unsure why some western powers would believe that is sustainable or practical in all matters

If you have 1.3 billion people slowing creeping up into middle class status you already have the critical mass to engage the world in what works for you and what perhaps will not based on historical errors and learn to make a better system for yourself.

I suppose for some ...nothing in their house or workplace is made in china so that they can proudly declare they have zero ties with the Middle Kingdom.

I am just wondering what computer , tablet or smartphone they are using ...if it's not made in china ....

Edited September 15, 2014 by LawrenceChee

[Publicus]

Although it is a tight race, given the ghost cities in the PRC (lack of credit controls) and the propensity for those connected to the Han culture to burn money at funerals to insure the deceased have funds in their imagined heaven (materialism), I have to give the nod to the Chinese.

Is that real money, seems odd for the usually ultra-practical Chinese, or fake money like the paper-TVs & paper-computers & so-on ?

There's an old saying, to tell what someone is really like, look at the friends who are drawn to them instead of whatever image they themselves project. On which basis having friends like Mugabe, and honouring them like this, doesn't reflect well on the PRC. Do they even realise that ?

1) As you know the "money" burned at funerals in China is imitation money, not real money. The average Chinese does not have, never has had, money to burn as it were. The idea is to express the good sprits of the living to the rising spirit of the deceased for comfort and ease in the Heavens. No "soul" is involved in the belief system however.

2) The CCP Boyz in Beijing don't care what the world thinks of them or believes about them. The one absolute certainty the Chinese have, and always have had, is that the world comes to China because China is the Celestial Heavenly Middle Kingdom on the earth, the Central Kingdom. Unfortunately for the world, the Chinese learned nothing during the past 200 years that contradicted this and that continues to contradict it indefinitely. Which means there's a bad moon rising over the peoples of the earth.

The money thing is comical in certain respects. For a while when I taught in Thailand I myself bought a bunch of fake Thai baht available in open markets and elsewhere of each denomination of the currency. In class I'd give out the imitation baht notes to learners who did well. If a learner did ok, he'd get maybe 20 imitation baht. Pretty well 50 imitation baht, very well 100, up to the thousand of imitation baht. It was a very popular scheme among the fun loving Thai learners I had for several years.

When I went to the PRChina I saw similar imitation Chinese yuan in an open market and went straight to it quite pleased to have made the find. I mentioned my Thailand imitation cash reward scheme in my classes to my PRChinese friends who went nearly into an apoplexy to strongly say to me NOT to do that in China. They explained why, which took me aback some but which I simply accepted. Different strokes for different folks, for sure.

I find it distasteful that anyone will mock funeral rites ...whether you have a perceived hatred for china and its systems or not.

It speaks of upbringing, its speaks of one's character and the forum members certainly deserves better.

China doesn't play by the west rules or defined systems and I am unsure why some western powers would believe that is sustainable or practical in all matters

If you have 1.3 billion people slowing creeping up into middle class status you already have the critical mass to engage the world in what works for you and what perhaps will not based on historical errors and learn to make a better system for yourself.

I suppose for some ...nothing in their house or workplace is made in china so that they can proudly declare they have zero ties with the Middle Kingdom.

I am just wondering what computer , tablet or smartphone they are using ...if it's not made in china ....

I'm pretty sure you over-read my statement about the use of not real CNY at funerals. I stated it as it was explained to me several years ago by my PRChinese friends themselves while I was in the PRC. Perhaps their English could have been better or perhaps my comprehension could have been better. Still, if I used a derogatory or otherwise offensive word or phrase kindly point it out to me for my immediate and serious attention. The treatment of the dead deserves only honorable respect, period.

As to your 1.3 billion middle class PRChinese they don' exist nor will they ever exist. It is impossible for one country, or one continent for that matter, to make 1.3 billion citizens middle class, no matter over how ever long a period of time. The corrupt CCP-state-corporate system and its structures have anyway hit a great wall called reality.

The housing and property bubble in the PRC already is bursting and it is triggering the consequent cascade of bubble bursts in the official banking sector, the shadow banking sector, retail and wholesale credit, local government debt and also provincial government debt, the value of the CNY, industrial production, exports/imports and much more. So it's all downhill from here.

The CCP debt to GDP ratio is now recognized as being at 250% with nothing to mitigate that as if anything could. The CCP's ground zero is starting to get closer bigger and much faster besides.

The data just in for August are equally discouraging because, as forecast by so many economists and experts in finance, government stimulus no longer has a positive impact on the CCP's economic and financial systems and their entire paradigm. Throwing monopoly game money on the board just piles it up higher until the sunlight causes it to combust.

.

Edited September 15, 2014 by Publicus

[LawrenceChee]

No one is suggesting that all 1.3 billion Chinese will become middle class ...hence the word creeping to describe the aspirations

Leaders try for the impossible and strive for as close as perfection as one can get and I am happy to see the Chinese government trying to achieve that while staying close to their own beliefs

Whiners just complain but they still turn up everyday at their workplace complaining about life in general and how unfair everything is ...

They never make anything significant in life with that negative attitude ...the worst corporate culprits or workers are the type that moan and groan about everything of the company or their bosses and yet continue to turn up for work and take the salary as they need it to feed their own mouths ...rather sad existence it is to live like this

Unlike some western powers, the Asian sense of reality remains very strong and very real and as such for many with that attitude ... I believe end up happier or better on life.

[Publicus]

LawrenceChee

If all described by the author turns true ...I can't see how it will turn up positive for the rest of the world.

The world of trade is so inter-connected it will all be downhill for everyone so for the naysayers of China I guess in many ways they themselves are just predicting the demise of their economies in time to come

Thank god my grandad taught us to always hold on to some emergency gold bars for good old barter trade and from the ashes the Phoenix will rise again

The short run will be bumpy but the long term will be just fine.

The markets have priced in the CCP crash that has now begun and the P-16 countries are already well in to the process of becoming the world's new factory as PRC wages rise to create the PRChina middle income trap besides.

China won't disappear but millions of Chinese people will suffer ultimately as the CCP state employs its massive internal paramilitary apparatus against its own people.

The crash will be dragged out into next year and perhaps into the year after that, as 2016 is pretty much the year of consensus.

The Post-China 16: Ascendant Manufacturing Countries

http://www.stratfor.com/image/post-china-16-ascendant-manufacturing-countries

[laobali]

Cecil Rhodes is turning in his grave.

Cecil may be turning in his tomb up in the Matopos, but he will be screaming "Let me out" if they try to bury Mugabe near him. The only suitable resting place for Mugabe is a septic tank on the outskirts of Harare..

I waited there for the sunrise on New Year's Day 1965, the year that would see great changes begin.

RIP CJR & IDS.

[virtualtraveller]

Disgusting, and disturbing the leader of a country that aspires to being a super power, or at least thinks it's the next superpower, behaves like this towards such a lowlife who has wrecked his country and turned it into his own private disposable toy.

An ex-Zimbabwean