This is not a race

When Emmanuel Macron complained to Biden that the Inflation Reduction Act will hurt European businesses I made fun of him. I made fun of all the European politicians who complained about the IRA because, really, it has always been pathetic to assume someone other than yourself should take care of you and your strategic interests because you’re friends.

This is not a race (original)

German lawmaker joins talks with Taiwan’s president, criticises Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s ‘unilateral’ China policy

German lawmaker joins talks with Taiwan’s president, criticises Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s ‘unilateral’ China policy (Yahoo)

“I think we could have avoided this if the chancellor had followed the outline that we laid down together. One year ago, we said that Germany’s China policy must be strongly integrated with the US-China policy,” he added, stressing that the “coalition contract” also supports Taiwan’s democracy against “China’s aggression” and its “meaningful participation in international organisations”.

Over the past two decades, business interests have heavily influenced the country’s China policy. Last year, their combined exports and imports stood at more than US$255 billion, making China Germany’s top trading partner for the sixth straight year.

Germany is dependent on China for solar panels, computer chips, rare earths and other critical minerals. The bilateral trade directly supports more than 1 million German jobs.

Germany’s top 10 listed companies are reliant on China for a significant share of their revenues. According to the Rhodium Group, a New York-based research institute, automakers BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Volkswagen and chemical giant BASF accounted for one-third of all EU investments in China in the past four years.

The Greens are idiots!

BASF seeks ‘permanent’ cost cuts at European operations

FRANKFURT – BASF said costs at its European sites must be cut to a “permanently” smaller size because of a triple burden of sluggish growth, high energy costs and over-regulation, with the German industrial giant’s boss throwing his weight behind a planned expansion in China.

BASF seeks ‘permanent’ cost cuts at European operations

Brandon’s handlers are going to be disappointed! Businesses are supposed to move to the US! Time to twist Olaf’s arm (again)! Maybe tell him that Germany needs to decouple from China, as well?! /s

Ruble gas payment Deadline Nears: G7 Countries may refuse to pay ‘On Principle’ – Europe to be ruined but ‘Biden is Laughing’

European ruin will be a giant bonanza for the US gas and oil, industry

Following “illegitimate decisions” by several Western nations to freeze Russian assets, Putin ordered to accept payment for natural gas supplies to “unfriendly countries” only in rubles.

Ruble gas payment Deadline Nears: G7 Countries may refuse to pay ‘On Principle’ – Europe to be ruined but ‘Biden is Laughing’