Banter and General Comments, page-17913

I think the reasoning you give for less focus on spod mines possibly being about difficulties of investing in current climate is more likely a scenario than buying up big now then not. AFAIK China still has big investments in Australian spod asides from Greenbushes and as AFAIK they only sold a minority stake. Then PLS has Chinese investment and A40 even though that’s a head f for them...good thing too. Those are just the ones I know but probably much more I’m guessing.

Yes, diversifying to customers from different countries is definitely the key for the whole of Australian production. I am also thankful for having potential mines in Argentina and Canada. China is figuring out (hopefully!) it can’t wage economic and cyber war on every country that doesn’t tow the party line. But they can try very hard to make an example of one country even though they could buy from an Australian listed company in another country. I think a lot of this is about spin and brinkmanship...that is also dangerous of course.

I think the majority of the Chinese people are brainwashed by the system and the scary thing for me is even those making the decisions believe their own brainwashing. That is totally dangerous and in this way I totally get your concern. I have at times worried about an Australian invasion but honestly think that would undoubtedly start WWIII...maybe Taiwan too, but Taiwan to me seems more like Austria where as Australia would almost certainly be Poland. Western world would not stand for it and we have too many allies. India would be in too I think...China has done a great job solidify support and comradery amongst those countries who were in ways divided, or at least had competing interests while lusting after China money at the expense of much else. The foolishness of this is being realised.

I haven’t heard of Solar Winds and will look it up.

My other feeling is that China is hurting much much more than all their “numbers” tell us. I think the CCP will do anything to maintain its stranglehold on power and this greatly concerns me if war and taking territories seem like the best options to have a common enemy (that is not CCP) and keep living standards pushing higher.

Personally, I have been doing my own China made boycott for quite a while now. I don’t hate the Chinese as a people I just can’t stomach what is being done in their name by the CCP. Everything I buy is generally 50% dearer than Chinese equivalent but I feel a whole lot better!