Foxy

The answer is cheap labour.

Pelican

Good point about food & carbon miles. I do try to buy food as close to home as possible for both reasons of quality and carbon miles. I never buy "out-of-season" anyway and have started growing my own garlic since the supermarkets supplies only Chinese or Mexican. I bought some from the local organic shop and grow that. But food is a very good place to make an impression without completely deserting the Chinese worker.

Yes, I too was appalled when, living in the "Sunshine State" I found tropical fruits in the supermarkets were almost exclusively imported. One of the reasons I would only buy at fruit and veg. shops was in order to buy local.

Also, was my face red when, presenting a swathe of "Australian" souvenirs to friends and students when I returned from my last trip to Oz, we discovered that, as you say, each cuddly koala and dolphin notepad etc. had Made in China stickers on them.

Conversely, this summer in England I noticed a huge difference. The shoes I bought (oh, the joy of finding shoes to fit: Chinese shoes are made for DOLLS)came from Brazil, Spain and Italy, clothes from Canada, Lithuania(!), Spain, India, etc. and, contrary to urban myth, they were all so much cheaper than similar products (Made in China or not)available in Australia.

Admittedly it was the "Sale" season but I paid on average Five pounds for each pair of my genuine leather shoes with only one pair costing the dizzy amount of Ten pounds, dresses of pure cotton the same, while books - all published in UK - could be bought brand new for One pound - even the latest publications. Do the conversion to Ausdollars: I think we are being fed an absolute crock when told how cheap goods are in Australia because of Asian outsourcing.

So whats the real China story?

Are we complicit in her "outward march ambitions" if we buy from her?

If we buy Chinese, dont we support her system of government and all her government stands for...now and in the future?

Its not as if she is going to change to please the West..after all who are the West to such an old civilisation?

She will remain herself and do as she pleases.

http://whatwillbecomeofaustraliajackburrell.blogspot.com/

Pericles,

I feel a bit frustrated. Your points are very good and the discussion well-founded, but I was not suggesting a boycott on all Chinese products, or a complete abstinence from all products from Western companies that use Chinese factories.

Foxy has my view more in context. Balance.

Your comment:
<'If you insisted on unrealistic demands, they would simply close their factory and walk away...'>

I think shows a very real scenario, and that is why I am not insisting on unrealistic demands. Just to let them [the Western companies] know we are aware of human rights, and we want them to do something about it. I am not suggesting by this that they start giving their factory workers the VIP treatment, just that they make an improvement to the working conditions and increase their workers wages to meet the legal minimum. These are not ridiculous requests.

Also, for clarification, I will tell you what I mean by 'letting the Western companies know'. I DO NOT mean a boycott. This is an extreme action, and I know it will reap extreme consequences. I am suggesting, that if it is possible for the consumer, to look at alternatives that will promote fair trade. By saying, 'If we pestered them enough, and threatened not to buy their products,' I mean writing letters, and posting internet forums to let the Western companies know that consumers care about the conditions of their workers. I acknowledge that the Chinese have a very good (if some what extreme) work ethic, and if they want to exploit their own people that is their decision. I might not agree with the way they treat their workers, but that would be their choice as a separate nation and people.

However Western companies should know better (ok, I know thats a laugh, but I'm not joking). As Western companies, I think they should abide by Western ethics (and not the business code of ethics which promotes exploitation, by the way) and treat their workers a bit more fairly.

Hi People Against Live Exports & Intensive Farming

Hope your trip went well, even if it was somewhat brief.

Must say in regards to your latest post, although you have some very good points, I am inclined to disagree with some of them.

Human Rights and Animal Rights are interlinked a lot but being somewhat of a religous poster myself :) I tend to separate humans from the animal race as unique beings.

Wether the issue is looked at from a Biblical or Evolutionary viewpoint it is undeniable that humans are by far the most intelligent beings on earth, with a capacity to evaluate their own instincts and feelings and make conscious decisions and learn/invent/create. However, now I am going to speak from my viewpoint, and that is a Biblical viewpoint, that as beings created with special abilities and a special image that we are separate from the animal kingdom. I also beleive however, that (please forgive me for quoting spiderman) that 'with great power, comes great responsibility', and that we have every responsibility and obligation to care for the animal kingdom, and the environment, and make conscious decisions on their behalf (hopefully for their benefit).

The links come in at the human being's responsibility to care for other living things, especially those of our own race. Within the context of human rights abuses in China, however, I think discussions on live exports to China and related animal abuses were entirely appropriate.

Pelican,
I couldn’t agree with you more. The Australian Government would have to go down as the world leaders of disaster and cruelty.

= *we certainly have no right point the finger at others and ignore the West's own record on animal and human rights.*...

If everybody shopped like you Australian Farmers would be ‘delighted’ instead of having to digging boles and beary their fruit.

The Australian Government driven by the self serving old school boys club the Nationals betrayed our Aussie farmers by flooding the country with cheap sub standard imports and selling them out.
Foxy said
*What's wrong with supporting our local industries?
And people - why send so much overseas, at our own
Expense?* Here, here!

Fractelle
*But food is a very good place to make an impression without completely deserting the Chinese worker.* YES We MUST provide our own food Fractelle- That’s number ONE

Indeed Gibo
What 'will' become of the Australian outback because farmers have been the back bone of this country from the beginning?

We need to encourage Kevin Rudd to use his mandarin skills to invite China to share farm with Australian farmers instead of reaping our country of its raw material only to provide employment for people in China.

United we survive- dived we will be taken over- if not die of health problems from sub standard foods.

If Kevin has promised more immigrants =

Then produce and manufacture HERE and train some of these people proper health standards animal welfare.

Its fasinating to watch Rudd rave about being serious on global warming while we pump minerals by the ton to China.



We have our own aboriginal and regional area people suffering because Governments have supported flogging off raw materials and destroying our own factories.

Time to rebuilt the bush and help the aboriginal people to become productive and work together with us and china HERE.



Time to look after Aussie jobs Aussie people and if china want involvement to manufactor here on a 50 infutructure basis - great.
Thats called working together and shareing the profits while building strong friendships.