By Robert Song
When I was growing up as a young boy in Canada, I was smaller than most of the other boys. But I quickly realized, if I didn't act tough, some of the bully types would pick on me. It worked most of the time since bullies like to pick on weaker kids.
Like a playground bully, China has been bullying the world with its mercantilist trade policies, forced transfer or outright theft of intellectual property and wolf diplomacy. Is China too big and powerful to contain? Must we just let the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) push all nations around? I believe that with a strong action plan, the CCP can be contained but it will take time and a unified strategy from all freedom-loving nations.
First step, since trade and economics feed this hungry bully, all aspects of trade and investments must be scrutinized and limited. For example, all Chinese companies listed on foreign stock exchanges with ties to the CCP or PLA must be ousted. Tariffs across the board should be imposed on China to level out their harsh mercantilist approach and all investments into Chinese companies must be checked to again filter out CCP- or PLA-connected entities and be disallowed.
Second step, strongly vet all Chinese workers at universities, research centers and high-tech companies in the U.S. Many have already been found and kicked out but there are surely more hidden away learning and stealing information. The leakage of valuable skills and information costs the U.S. billions every year and helps to prop up the CCP.
Third step, close down all the Confucius Institutes in the world. They are fronts for the CCP to spy on the local scene and to always dampen any anti-CCP sentiments while giving steeply discounted lessons in Mandarin and other Chinese cultural activities. Confucius would surely be rolling over in his grave if he knew what these centers were really doing.
Step four would be to ban all online/offline media by the CCP which are a propaganda tool to criticize the West and soften the nefarious image of the CCP. Some of the better-known ones are CGTN (TV), Global Times and China Daily. No non-Chinese media are allowed in China, so why this unfair non-reciprocal situation exists always boggles the mind. Also, all CCP-bought ad space on Facebook, Twitter and newspapers should be banned as their main function is to push the communist agenda.
Step five is to gradually decouple all sensitive industries away from China. Rare earths and drugs are two examples of traditional sectors, but future high-tech ones like AI, machine learning and networks pose even greater threats as these can seep into the lives of every individual. Since China is well-known for its voracious appetite for dominating any one sector, all efforts must be made to limit their access to U.S. investments and know-how.
Step six would be to sanction all CCP members and their families from travel to the U.S. and studying there. The ruling elite families love to send their children to American schools, so this would hurt them hard and be extremely disruptive. Until the CCP cooperates fully in the investigation of the origins of COVID-19 and also make changes to their human rights issues, these sanctions must continue.
Some feel that the China threat is not that serious and advocate doing business as usual with China. Since most mainstream media are reluctant to publish negative content on China for economic reasons, most people without digging deeper do not feel the genuine threat. China is the world's greatest existentialist threat right now, not climate change as Joe Biden mentioned recently, and the world's leading countries must unite to tame this bully before it is too late.
Robert Song (robertssong@me.com) is a Korean-Canadian business owner in Seoul, who also runs a blog at ccpblues.com.
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Like a playground bully, China has been bullying the world with its mercantilist trade policies, forced transfer or outright theft of intellectual property and wolf diplomacy. Is China too big and powerful to contain? Must we just let the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) push all nations around? I believe that with a strong action plan, the CCP can be contained but it will take time and a unified strategy from all freedom-loving nations.
First step, since trade and economics feed this hungry bully, all aspects of trade and investments must be scrutinized and limited. For example, all Chinese companies listed on foreign stock exchanges with ties to the CCP or PLA must be ousted. Tariffs across the board should be imposed on China to level out their harsh mercantilist approach and all investments into Chinese companies must be checked to again filter out CCP- or PLA-connected entities and be disallowed.
Second step, strongly vet all Chinese workers at universities, research centers and high-tech companies in the U.S. Many have already been found and kicked out but there are surely more hidden away learning and stealing information. The leakage of valuable skills and information costs the U.S. billions every year and helps to prop up the CCP.
Third step, close down all the Confucius Institutes in the world. They are fronts for the CCP to spy on the local scene and to always dampen any anti-CCP sentiments while giving steeply discounted lessons in Mandarin and other Chinese cultural activities. Confucius would surely be rolling over in his grave if he knew what these centers were really doing.
Step four would be to ban all online/offline media by the CCP which are a propaganda tool to criticize the West and soften the nefarious image of the CCP. Some of the better-known ones are CGTN (TV), Global Times and China Daily. No non-Chinese media are allowed in China, so why this unfair non-reciprocal situation exists always boggles the mind. Also, all CCP-bought ad space on Facebook, Twitter and newspapers should be banned as their main function is to push the communist agenda.
Step five is to gradually decouple all sensitive industries away from China. Rare earths and drugs are two examples of traditional sectors, but future high-tech ones like AI, machine learning and networks pose even greater threats as these can seep into the lives of every individual. Since China is well-known for its voracious appetite for dominating any one sector, all efforts must be made to limit their access to U.S. investments and know-how.
Step six would be to sanction all CCP members and their families from travel to the U.S. and studying there. The ruling elite families love to send their children to American schools, so this would hurt them hard and be extremely disruptive. Until the CCP cooperates fully in the investigation of the origins of COVID-19 and also make changes to their human rights issues, these sanctions must continue.
Some feel that the China threat is not that serious and advocate doing business as usual with China. Since most mainstream media are reluctant to publish negative content on China for economic reasons, most people without digging deeper do not feel the genuine threat. China is the world's greatest existentialist threat right now, not climate change as Joe Biden mentioned recently, and the world's leading countries must unite to tame this bully before it is too late.
Robert Song (robertssong@me.com) is a Korean-Canadian business owner in Seoul, who also runs a blog at ccpblues.com.
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