Runnin' With The Devil. . .

(Runnin' With The Devil. . .)

People should recognize this Van Halen anthem, released in its 1978 eponymously named debut. It was a song where Eddie's skill at guitar was first evidenced. It was a song about life on the edge, "moving at a pace that kills." But the "Devil" in this case is also the facts of life, how aspects of reality get incorporated into day existence. One aspect of reality, a devil in other words, is China. As Eric Cartman has put it, a "China probrem."


That is not going away. At a billion five, China is the world's largest market and it must be catered to. The Peoples' Republic is experiencing some civil unrest at the moment and there is even discussion that Apple could re-locate its significant iPhone manufacturing sector out of China to places like Vietnam or India. However, labor might be more expensive in those other countries so such a transition might not take place.


Does China steal intellectual property ? Does it force technology transfer ? Absolutely. It has a bad reputation in the defense of human rights and indeed, actively suppresses said rights. People died in the covid lockdowns. That does not mention the Uighurs in Western China. It is like a mobbed-up neighborhood. One does not have a restaurant or a dry-cleaners without the approval of the made guys hanging out at the social club. Tony Soprano and his crew hung out at the Bada Bing.


If one could separate from China, economically, politically and so on, keep the supply chain free of Communist Chinese interference, determine the true source of covid. All questions that remain for Beijing to answer. The truth is, Apple's possible re-location efforts to the contrary, that China is too big and will dominate world affairs to the extent it will be allowed to. That allowance can only come from the United States and that depends on if President Biden has been compromised.


Trump's collusion with Russia was a fairy tale. President Biden could have far more exposure by virtue of son Hunter whose Chinese connections are extensive and the President's involvement can be exposed. That being said, China is the most important relationship for any nation and if the President is finding himself somehow restricted ? 

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