China Law Blog

What about the claim that Obama was going to signal the end of American arrogance? Makes me think America just can't help it.

Whatever happens, I doubt the lines for China Krispy Kreme will be like those in Tokyo:

Lines at Shinjuku Krispy Kreme

I am still not sure what the draw is...

I think there's no reason to put the word diplomatic in quotation marks.

Oh, and you spelled his name wrong again. No offense, but you're going to have to get these things straight if he gets elected :-)

I think there's a loose correlation between having a good China policy and being a bad president.

Nixon was the first president to visit and implement a policy of rapproachment with China, whom he saw as a friend. As we know, Nixon resigned right before being impeached for tapping phones and burglarizing the Democratic National Convention office.

Rapproachment and normalization continued through through Ford, Carter, and even the rigid bastard Regan.

Then after the Tiananmen Square protest in 1989 the US imposed economic sanctions and moral censure which precluded a warm relationship through the prosperous Clinton years.

Recently George W. Bush’s policy toward China has returned to rapprochement which among most other 911 foreign policy, is surprisingly enlightened. Bush even went to the Olympics; a simple gesture which meant a lot to the Chinese. The United States and China are closer today than any time since 1949. And Bush's approval rating is the second closest to 0 than any other time since Gallup.

What’s Obama’s view of China? “…China is rising, and it’s not going away. They’re neither our enemy nor our friend. They’re competitors. But we have to make sure that we have enough military-to-military contact and forge enough of a relationship with them that we can stabilize the region.” Low hopes for the Sino-American relationship; Obama will make a great president.

John McCain on the other hand, the hawkish candidate who is more likely to continue a heavy-handed American foreign policy around the world, said explicitly in the debates he does not think we should think of China as our competitor. A wise view. What a terrible president he'll make.

The Chinese have neither found a liking for American bakery sweets like donuts nor the inclination to pay high prices for the privilege (note Bread Talk is not American, not in product, taste or pricing). Sure, opening 35 stores in five years in major cities of China doesn't seem a stretch, but profitability? Doubtful. Still, kudos to the Korean Lotte Group of Japan for persuading an American company of some heft and seemingly experienced management to give them franchise rights in mainland China. Well, if it worked in Japan (where Lotte Group is a major concern) it must work in China? Yeah? You think so?

But isn't that adolescent chest-thumping compulsory for all candidates, especially Democrats, in all elections? If he wins, he'll soon find out, possibly the hard way, that his authority does not extend beyond America's borders, and life will go back to normal, won't it?

How are Obama's comments 'dictacting what China should do with its economy'? Exchange rate manipulation is purely to do with international trade and therefore a valid issue to be raised between trading partners.

If I'm not mistaken, I think the Krispy Kreme's in Hong Kong seem to be closing down (or are under renovation).

Also, I kind of reject the idea that it is "American" food or whatever that is causing the current health crisis. To be specific, it's animal products, processed foods, sugar, vegetable oils, and salt that are causing the crisis. Many of these are made by American fast food outlets, but many or most products are made by Chinese companies, and have little to do with the US. Ironically, if you look at the "China Study", China used to have much lower rates of cancer and heart disease in the areas of the country that ate a primarily plant-based diet 30 years ago. But the massive shift towards animal products (with the dire consequences of what that has done to the environment, ie massive desertification from over-grazing (dust storms), hundreds of million of pig sh*t going into water supplies, massive release of CO2...etc) is really going to present a challenge towards Chinese society and policymakers.

But anyway, I think Obama's comments aren't too out of line, especially in the context of traditional China-bashing before elections. This election, from both sides, has seen minimal China-bashing from a historical standpoint. Trade issues and currency rates are fair game for both sides, in my opinion.

If Krispy Kreme can somehow adapt their donuts to a more Asian flair (aka KFC), maybe they have a plausible shot. If not, Krispy Kreme's sole shop in Hong Kong just filed for Ch. 11 late last month (http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D942TQNG0.htm ) ...