What are my options?

[Paul Marsh]

I'm afraid Pandora's Box has been opened. Everything you see in you house: Clothes, computer, furniture, materials, car parts are all made in China, no getting out of it, unless you want to go and go back to an agrarian society.

For example, in 1912, over 50% of the world's ships where built in the Britain/Ireland
That figure, today, is 0%...

[Ron Gray]

Sorry but I really don't understand why, all of a sudden, there is a 'don't buy from China' movement.

Please explain to the ignorant me.

[john stones 1 - Moderator]

China owns large amounts of U.K property, thousands go to Uni here, they just bought our steel making, they were down to build our Nuclear plants/Ships ? HS2, 5G etc etc, Sovrunty ain't what it used to be.

I may go live up a pole, or be a hermit.

[Former Member]

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[Former Member]

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[Former Member]

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[Ron Gray]

So because the Covid-19 pandemic started in China, let's punish them and stop buying stuff from China? Am I correct in this assumption about your rationale?

Edited By Ron Gray on 22/04/2020 15:48:22

[john stones 1 - Moderator]

Posted by Doc Marten on 22/04/2020 15:43:19:

Ron,

The thread was created to see if anyone is re-evaluating their consumer habits in the wake of this crisis, there's nothing more to explain.

Edited By Doc Marten on 22/04/2020 15:44:27

Answer from me is Yes Doc, you're limited what you can do though,much more than China for me, likes of Branson and others will never get my money again.

I'm with Greta, other opinions are available.

[Former Member]

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[Former Member]

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[BackinBlack]

The world has conveniently turned a blind eye to the oppressive Chinese regime, it's disregard for human rights and truth whilst benefitting from cheap goods. This is despite the obvious undermining of indigenous industries and manufacturers, resulting in ever greater reliance on Chinese manufacturing.

I hope that there are some repercussions against China, their free gift of Covid-19 has proved to be exceptionally expensive not just economically, but most particularly in human life.

I have and will continue to avoid wherever possible buying products from China.

[john stones 1 - Moderator]

Posted by BackinBlack on 22/04/2020 16:06:48:

The world has conveniently turned a blind eye to the oppressive Chinese regime, it's disregard for human rights and truth whilst benefitting from cheap goods. This is despite the obvious undermining of indigenous industries and manufacturers, resulting in ever greater reliance on Chinese manufacturing.

I hope that there are some repercussions against China, their free gift of Covid-19 has proved to be exceptionally expensive not just economically, but most particularly in human life.

I have and will continue to avoid wherever possible buying products from China.

We just voted to trade more with em, and others like em, Saudis record on human rights ?

Worms, cans full of em.

[Former Member]

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[i12fly]

Answer is no.

There is not really an alternative anyway. China is workshop to the world, highly skilled in many aspects and full of many resources and minerals the world needs in a modern society both green or not. The world is built of nations exploiting or being exploited, the balance of power just changes over time.

[David perry 1]

Posted by Barrie Lever on 22/04/2020 13:53:22:

Posted by Doc Marten on 22/04/2020 13:37:08:

Barrie,

I don't aim to completely eliminate PRC produced goods completely, as you've pointed out that would be impossible and to be fair it would be stupid to eliminate all options if the best one is PRC manufactured, I'm just interested if people are rethinking their consumer power and changing habits.

Doc

To answer your question, yes I am taking this opportunity to lower my PRC consumption further than an already low level.

To be true full, it would not matter to me if there was never anything else to come out of China, we would get by just fine.

B.

We would but people LOVE cheap. In fact people WANT free!

Much good can come from this virus! Lets hope it does

D

[Scott Edwards 2]

Wages and employee rights in China are very low, so they can make stuff at a fraction of the price of the UK.

We in the UK buy the cheaper Chinese goods, and put our own manufacturers out of business.

All of our pounds then flow to China instead of back into the UK economy.

The UK runs out of money, and China says "OK we will lend your pounds back to you", which they do, in hundreds of billions.

The interest the UK pays on the debt prevents investment in UK manufacturing, and we become totally dependant on China for goods and finance.

We then complain about it.

China doesn't care.

China puts it's prices up.

We're screwed.

[Ron Gray]

Posted by Doc Marten on 22/04/2020 16:01:33:

I'm not getting into politics Ron, I'll stick with asking once again, for the umpteenth time, if anyone else is changing their consumer habits, it appears you're another who's not but without actually saying it so maybe the thread isn't for you either.

Sorry Doc but your opening post states that this is borderline political and the way the thread has developed pushes it over the borderline.

Regarding my stance, please re-read my posts, at 12.57 I specifically stated China and at 13.24 stated overseas. When I last looked China fell into the category of overseas.

I will continue to watch this thread with interest!

 

Edited By Ron Gray on 22/04/2020 16:47:18

Edited By Ron Gray on 22/04/2020 16:48:03

[Brian Cooper]

When I was a kid, something with "Made in England" on it was proud and good .. .. and something with, "Made in Hong-Kong" was always regarded as cheap and nasty.

How times change, eh.

I have no problem with purchasing from China.

[ken anderson.]

ok doc,sorry if I read your op wrong,but please explain where I can find an alternative manufacturing country for our hobby stuff that gets made in china at the minute..... fair enough some odds and ends...but not the majority of what I/we use...… I have a feeling this thread may get locked down also...another victim of the virus.

ken anderson......ne..1.. lockdown dept.

[john stones 1 - Moderator]

It's a cert for some threadlock, the Red variety methinks.

[Former Member]

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[Bruce Collinson]

Economics, not politics.

PRC pays no regard whatsoever to international patent and copyright law (to wit Top Gear, undisguised copies of mainstream Western cars) so saves massively on R & D overheads. Labour rates, H & S, environmental costs massively lower than most other economies. Their cost base is significantly lower and therefore their goods are too, even after transport costs.

Traffic the other way seems to be significantly less; why buy from the West when they can copy it?

The economics suit the race to the bottom, driven by cost above all else, very well and it's quite clear that this is a significant proportion of forumites and probably aeromodellers generally, as far as I can tell from clubmates and the odd personal details which leak out. On one level therefore in the free market world, the option to buy good-enough gear from the cheapest supplier keeps people modelling who might not otherwise bother.

It seems to have a direct reciprocal effect with the majority of local manufacturers under too much pressure to compete, whilst direct or Far Eastern vendors may havecaused the closure of numerous LMSs. Quite a few of my closer pals have no compunction about buying online items stocked by our LMS whereas I generally give them first crack on the basis that if they shut, they will be missed.

You pays your money.

However, the assertions above that there is no choice are largely erroneous, surely. A Sarik plan with SLEC wood, a Laser and German or Czech radio? A Foss ARTB,Axi motor, korean servos, what about a Saito? Is it right that the majority of gas turbines are still Western? I can hear the response, they're all or mostly significantly dearer. Maybe, in the short term.

We're a microcosm of the world economy. Pay less, risk the long term consequences. You pays etc.

Politics; not changing my buying much as I avoid them for the most part and one of the structural changes when we emerge into a post-Covid world will be that a lot more manufacturing will return to the West so we don't get caught twice. I have to run an iThing from the office but wish Apple would have a rethink.

BTC

[john stones 1 - Moderator]

I enjoy hearing what people think, it's healthy but sadly we get ourselves closed down.

I agree Germany would never fiddle nor engage in sharp practice, no way would they fiddle the emissions regs on cars, for example.

[john stones 1 - Moderator]

A lot more manufacturing will return to the West ? I do love an optimist and I'm with you all the way.

I suspect it'll be as you where though, show me the money, gimme gimme.

[john stones 1 - Moderator]

China owes the World a lot of money ?

Hmmm why ?