China - Most Favored Nation trade status & Cyber Attacks & Contentment

[Issachar]

Most Favored Nation trade status? Tis the way of the "world." It's all about mammon ... not people's lives ... certainly not God. It can't be, given the sin nature that dominates the "world." Caring about others is the antithesis of selfishness and selfishness is an intrinsic part of the sin nature.

The United States’ trade deficit with China has grown from approximately $84 billion in 2000 to $273 billion in 2010. For every dollar’s worth of goods the United States imports from China, our country exports only about 25 cents worth of goods to China. Our exports to China equal only 1.6% of China’s GDP, and this percentage has actually declined since 2006.

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Today:

On the outskirts of Shanghai, in a run-down neighborhood dominated by a 12-story white office tower, sits a People’s Liberation Army base for China’s growing corps of cyberwarriors.

The building off Datong Road, surrounded by restaurants, massage parlors and a wine importer, is the headquarters of P.L.A. Unit 61398. A growing body of digital forensic evidence — confirmed by American intelligence officials who say they have tapped into the activity of the army unit for years — leaves little doubt that an overwhelming percentage of the attacks on American corporations, organizations and government agencies originate in and around the white tower.

An unusually detailed 60-page study, to be released Tuesday by Mandiant, an American computer security firm, tracks for the first time individual members of the most sophisticated of the Chinese hacking groups — known to many of its victims in the United States as “Comment Crew” or “Shanghai Group” — to the doorstep of the military unit’s headquarters.

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So what is the bottom line of all of this? Getting more. That is the bent of all the race of men, in their sinful state; getting more. They are deceived to thinking that more will make them content. Ironically, the more they have, without Christ, the more discontent they are and so the harder they try to get more. It is a vicious, downward, inescapable cycle. The descendants of Adam are designed to be content. There is only one way to be content .. it is in Christ. Only in Him is there relationship with God. Only in relationship with God, is man complete and hence, content.

Ironically, the Tiananmen Square massacre occurred on June 3, 1989, the day President Bush was to inform Congress of his decision to renew MFN for the PRC. It is reported that 4,000 civilians lost their lives in that horrific slaughter, many of whom were run over by tanks. MFN was renewed anyway, ostensibly to encourage the communist Chinese government to change its ways through "constructive engagement."

Even as the PRC government continues its unabashed repression against segments of its own population, President Clinton hides behind the same "constructive engagement" excuse. "I believe if we were to revoke normal trade status," he told a group of business executives at the White House, "it would cut off our contact with the Chinese people and undermine our influence with the Chinese government." (The Washington Post, 5-20-97).

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"Constructive engagement", imho, is code for, "Yes, they're doing nasty things to people, but economically, we need them. The trade imbalance is a great part of letting us inflate the snot out of the USD and still keep prices somewhat down."

1 Timothy 6:
6 But godliness with contentment is great gain.
7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.
8 And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.
9 But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.
10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
11 But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.
12 Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.

Philippians 4:
11 Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.
12 I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.
13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

Issachar, finds it somewhat "funny" what the "world" calls peace (post #3), favored, etc.

[Issachar]

Re: China - Most Favored Nation trade status & Cyber Attacks & Contentment

From: EconomyInCrisis.org

China now has accumulated approximately $3.2 trillion in convertible currency reserves, of which nearly $1.2 trillion are held in U.S. treasury bonds. This has happened through their escalating balance of trade surpluses with America - they sell to us much more than we sell to them. In the process, China has been instrumental in putting many of our American companies out of business.

Now this huge stockpile of money gives them tremendous leverage as they could dump these bonds and reserves on the market. If they take this irresponsible action, it would immeasurably devalue the worth of our money, send the cost of goods skyrocketing, and cripple our economy. This condition has been building up for a long time and puts America in a precarious and vulnerable position, as we have been producing less each year and have increasingly been surviving on imports.

Even if they do not dump this money into the U.S. all at once, they have the power to take us over slowly by acquiring our companies on the open stock market. We have seen this in all sectors of the economy. This year they even acquired AMC movie theaters, whose 5,000 screens can now be used to inculcate our children with their culture and ideas. This will only facilitate the continued overtaking of our industries by Chinese firms.

Most of us don't realize these dramatic changes are taking place. America is becoming a much different country than it was when you grew up in it. You will be leaving your children with a legacy they had not expected and will be very disappointed with. The standard of living Americans have come to know and expect will be no more.

They have accumulated this cash through our balance of trade deficit, which is the result of our failed trade policies. We have failed to protect our country from unfair Chinese practices that have given them an extreme advantage. Our membership in the WTO prevents us from taking the actions we need, as they rule against us 9 out of 10 times a case is brought against us. What hope is there for our country when we do not even control our own economy?

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Issachar