• TWeaK@lemm.ee
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    1 year ago

    You’re not really making sense. “A debt paid,… is still a debt that has to be paid”? If the debt is paid, it’s already been paid.

    Assuming Afghanistan owes China for the infrastructure, then that debt would be paid by giving them copper. Bought and paid for. So how are they saddled with debt? Where’s the trap?

    Obviously the deal will be a lot more complex, it might not be a great deal long term in some respects and I’m sure there’ll be a measure of corruption (there almost always is, everywhere), but at the end of the day Afghanistan is getting infrastructure it couldn’t build on its own and China is getting resources it otherwise wouldn’t have access to.

    • MuhammadJesusGaySex@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      Because the copper will be worth way more in the long run than the tech it’s funding. Plus China is notorious for putting their own people in charge of mining operations who are abusive to locals.

      I’m sure it’ll be a little more complex, but it doesn’t have to be. If China can secure cheap raw materials it helps to ensure that they can make things cheaper than anyone else.

      https://www.statista.com/statistics/744071/manufacturing-labor-costs-per-hour-china-vietnam-mexico/

      That link shows how China’s unskilled labor is now more expensive than a lot of their competitors. They need a new edge to stay relevant. The raw materials in Afghanistan is just one of many ways they are attempting to stay competitive.

      You’re right about my mis-type on the last thing I’m headed there to fix it. Thanks for pointing that out.

      • TWeaK@lemm.ee
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        1 year ago

        Yeah I’m sure China are doing it for their own advantage, but Afghanistan are still getting infrastructure they wouldn’t have had - in particular the route is going through the mountains, where there are no easy roads currently. There are significant benefits for thw other countries involved in the scheme, too.

        • MuhammadJesusGaySex@lemmy.world
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          1 year ago

          Are you ok? Do you smell toast or something? If you don’t even have a basic understanding of how life works, never mind, the CCP. I can’t help you.

          Are you implying that China is doing it out of the goodness of their little hearts? Are you suggesting that the CCP signed off on a project like this because they are such nice guys?

          I bet you believed your mom when she said you were special too. Get the fuck out of here. Hehehehehehehe

          • TWeaK@lemm.ee
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            1 year ago

            Are you ok? Suddenly coming unravelled like that could be a sign of dimentia.

            • MuhammadJesusGaySex@lemmy.world
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              1 year ago

              Normally, I wouldn’t do this, but I’ve had some time to sleep and I think I may have misinterpreted something you typed. First off though there are a few things that I follow pretty close. Shitty religious stuff, and shitty CCP practices are probably my top things. I’m definitely not saying I’m an expert but I find those things equally interesting and infuriating.

              Anyway, last night you called me out for the way I worded my first comment. It was perfectly understandable in its original form. Though I do admit I could have worded it better. So, I fixed it.

              But before that comment you had shown a lack of understanding of how basic transactions work. Also, you made it sound like China was the one really helping Afghanistan and China was receiving little in the way of payment for this infrastructure. Now I won’t get into China debt traps because that’s a whole thing unto itself. But I first learned about how China treats African mine workers where similar deals have been made on gore websites. Granted it’s not as bad as what the Belgians did, but they aren’t kind.

              Which brings me to what I think I probably misinterpreted. Because of acting like you don’t know how basic transactions work. I just assumed your statement that started with “Yeah, I’m sure…” was sarcastic. Like you were actually saying that you believed the CCP was just doing it to be cool. Which is ridiculous.

              Anyway, maybe in the future don’t start off a conversation by critiquing someone’s grammar? Ummm wordage? I don’t know, the proper word escapes me at the moment. But, I feel like we could have had a very constructive conversation.

              Also, I should work on my own pettiness. Like, if you insult me by calling me out on something unrelated to the topic. Even if the topic wasn’t my thing. For the next several hours it will be. So, I should also work on that.

              I hope you have a good rest of the week.

              • TWeaK@lemm.ee
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                1 year ago

                No hard feelings dude, I appreciate your genuine input.

                I didn’t mean to be so mocking with my first reply to you, I really couldn’t make out what point you were making. My comment before last wasn’t meant to be sarcastic, but I can see how it could come off that way.

                You weren’t the one who said it was a debt trap, so no issue there. However I wasn’t saying China was doing this for no reward out of the goodness of their hearts, rather it is something of a mutually beneficial deal for most countries. This is because China is trying to sweet talk them into it - China really wants their resources, and also maybe some strategic advantages, so they’re willing to help build the infrastucture to get it. The only people who could make this a bad deal are the ones negotiating the sale of resources, they have what China wants and as such have the upper hand in the negotiation.

                In general, China’s international practices are terrible, in my opinion. You only have to take a brief glance at the South China Sea to see that, or look at Hong Kong, Taiwan or the Uyghur people, or how they basically admitted to harvesting organs from prisoners (at some point they basically said “we’re not doing it anymore”, meanwhile their transplant industry continued its exponential growth). However, when it comes to the Belt & Roads Initiative China isn’t playing the bad guy, as far as I can tell. Doing so would cost them.

                That one example doesn’t make them the good guys, of course, but that also doesn’t mean building road and rail through these countries isn’t a good thing.

                All the best to you, friend.