Item — HN Reader

> What exactly is so different about China?

The companies are fully or partially state owned, so the political pressure may be greater. https://qz.com/1000541/norway-wants-china-to-forget-about-th...

You do not want to give too much power to a single actor. Doesn't matter if this is China, USA, EU.

1 comments

A recent write-up of some of the political complexities and problems cropping up from China's broadening influence over parts of Europe:

"Greece was one of the early flashpoints for Germany's concern about the growing competition from China. Benefiting from Beijing's large direct investments, Greece blocked last June an EU statement at the United Nations about China's repressive human rights policies."

"Hungary, where China is building a high-speed railway line from Budapest to Belgrade, joined Greece to block another EU statement criticizing China's territorial claims in the South China Sea, after The Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague ruled against Beijing in July 2016."

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/04/16/chinas-growing-economic-pres...

For Greece, just like when they were begging in the street, all his neighbors are not care. At that time, someone from far east helped them to avoid the bankruptcy. As the return, they helped the friends if there is any chance. And right now his neighbors blamed him that he should not help that far east friend. What the fuck?

China's not your friend.

Isn't this how US lobby working right now? Why would we allow those lobby in Washington DC publicly?

Exactly!

"China's broadening influence over parts of Europe"

Sounds like an assault on Europe. But let me help you look at it objectively.

"Germany's concern about the growing competition from China" <-- Isn't this protectionism? This isn't political influence, but that Germany is shying away from genuine free market competition. Germany benefits at the expense of Greece. Germany is unfair in how it plays the game

"block another EU statement criticizing China's territorial claims in the South China Sea" <-- This is political, yet it doesn't affected EU. Why is EU so concerned about China's backyard anyway. Imagine if China picks sides in Europe's petty fights like Catalan independence, and brexit, etc. To me it's European overreach (just like Americans), and the less of this the better.