Oh dear, I wondered if the phrase gave hostages to fortune. But I thought the context made clear that I assumed the Chinese had long term strategic goals in mind rather than quick profits by way of asset stripping etc.
I did add "The interest payments over the next five years are completely unimportant to them on this sum."
I was referring to what I thought was the widely held perception that the Chinese may expect negotiations to go on a long time and to be entirely satisfactory to them, before confirming. The news releases in Britain about this deal note as inevitable that the company will pass wholly into Chinese hands.
No I do not think they are money grubbing about this. I think they are operating in a world in which they know the rules are ones of control by large blocks of finance capitalism over workers, resources and markets.
Chris Burford
----- Original Message ----- From: "Marvin Gandall" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Sunday, November 21, 2004 5:23 PM Subject: Re: [PEN-L] Growing Chinese economic influence
James Devine:
Chris writes: >But being Chinese, they will probably get the best possible price for it. <
is this a genetic predisposition that you're positing? or is
it cultural? Are Chinese more money-grubbing than others?
JD --------------------- Well, the Jews and the Scots have also been prominently mentioned. :) I'm still looking to meet the capitalist - of any nationality - who doesn't want to get the best possible price for his or her product, or the worker who doesn't want to get the same for his or her labour.
MG
