mining permit poison pill-to kill competition?

Would someone like to ask Sundance whether my conjecture has any basis. In any case, it' important to PRE-EMPT openly what I FIRMLY believe is the sledge hammer to destroy any competitive bid.

If Han Long (again I reiterate it as no more than a front of the PRC tasked to make the purchase) can waive the no-shop-no-talk condition and at the same time low ball an alreay low-ball bid (using a condition demanded by none other than the NDRC), you would think there is a trump card the Chinese have up their sleeve.

I reckon there "may be" a POISON PILL the Africans (as engineering by the Chinese) will slip into the mining permit CONDITIONING a time-table for the development and hefty PENALTIES for NON-COMPLIANCE that no western listed compaies can stomach.

They may do so on the basis of a much delayed timetable and the need to expedite the development.

In this manner, it would appear other bidders are not being discriminated against and that it's a level playing field where the contestants simply have to comply.

At the end of the day, the mickey mouse penalties will never be enforced, it is just to deter and prevent any viable competitive bid.