China Is Our Friend, Part 52,408

Hmmmnnhhh..yeah.

Francois Jullien, a French scholar of Chinese philosophy, has argued, “Chinese strategy aims to use every possible means to influence the potential inherent in the forces at play to its own advantage, even before the actual engagement.” Trade is thus not an alternative to conflict, it is part of Beijing’s constant struggle to “rise” and overthrow American preeminence. As Tai Kung advised, “Attack the strong through his strength.”

Not only is the US a militarily-strong country, arguably the strongest on Earth, we are also the #1 economy in the world.

So what does PRChina attack?

Both!

...on June 13, U.S. Air Force Lt. Gen. Robert Elder briefed reporters about Chinese “cyber-operations” aimed at high-tech industrial espionage and the penetration of government security agencies. Elder is to head a new cyber command being set up at Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana to counter this threat. On the same day, Richard Lawless, the deputy undersecretary of defense for Asia-Pacific affairs, told the House Armed Services Committee that China was developing a “multi-dimensional counter space capability featuring direct ascent anti-satellite weapons, ground-based lasers, and satellite communications jammers.” Studies by the Pentagon and the Rand Corporation have detailed how Beijing’s high-tech capabilities have benefitted from foreign investment supported by exports.

That's the military side. And that's what we KNOW--there may be more interesting stuff going on that we do not know, yet.

As to the economy?

The Treasury again refused to formally cite the People’s Republic of China for currency manipulation in is semiannual report to Congress on June 13. It failed to do so for reasons that defy common sense and any realistic assessment of the competitive nature of world trade. The Chinese RMB is considered to be ast least 40 percent undervalued, making China’s exports less expensive and raising the cost of its imports. It is a major contributing factor in expanding the lop-sided Chinese trade surplus with the United States, which reached $232.5 billion last year.

The Treasury report acknowledges “heavy foreign exchange market intervention by China’s central bank to manage the currency tightly,” as well as the fact that China’s currency is “undervalued” in a system where the value is determined by the fiat of the government

A couple of bills were offered in Congress to force Treasury to do something...in a year or so, maybe, kinda.

Beijing is not worried. Even as American officials and politicians were falling over themselves to avoid a confrontation with China, Beijing’s agents were busy shipping weapons to Iran to be sent on to help insurgents and terrorists in Iraq and Afghanistan kill U.S. soldiers.

In OTHER News today, an Algoma company had to recall a bunch of hammock-supports after they started falling apart while consumers were using the hammocks.

The hammock stands, models 6250, 6250BH and 6290W88B, were made in China and sold at Kohl's, D.S.I./Supervalu, Fingerhut, Mills Fleet Farm, Shopko Stores and Target.com from December 2006 through May 2007 for between $100 and $150.

They attack the economy. They prepare to attack the military.

NOW the bastards are attacking civilians in hammocks.