Bunker Index: Weekend Update!

[Ernie]

This weekend in Salt Lake City, governors from all over the nation are meeting with the governors and communist party officials of China's provinces to discuss ... well, nobody really knows. The agenda is secret. Press has been barred from attending. Or at least those other than the compliant mouthpieces of the Communist party. And China is letting in some of its journalists as well!

What are they discussing? Are you comfortable with your governors growing more cozy with Chinese communist officials? Are you comfortable with our government hiding the agenda?

[time]

Oh, I wouldn't worry.

Salt Lake has plenty of room near it's airport for a new chinese city, just like the one they want for Boise.

Brush up on your spanish and mandarin if you want to work in the US.

[InvalidID]

Geez Ernie. Why are you so upset over something like this. It's just a meeting, happens everyday. They will tell you everything they think you need to know, when they think you need to know it. /sarc

[julieq]

Originally Posted by time

Oh, I wouldn't worry.

Salt Lake has plenty of room near it's airport for a new chinese city, just like the one they want for Boise.

Brush up on your spanish and mandarin if you want to work in the US.

Link? Guess we missed that one.

[time]

It was discussed here. Links in thread.

China wants it's own city in Idaho!

[Sawmill Jim]

Just what we need our commies plotting with Chinese commies
And all in the USA behind closed doors

Ok where are the defenders for this bull

[FarmerGreen]

They were probably just discussing which parts of each state to take as collateral on all the money they're loaning us. "The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower is the slave of the lender." Proverbs 22:7

[Dutchie]

Nothing secret about it.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/...76G04L20110717

* Agriculture, energy, manufacturing opportunities

* "Are they going to steal our technology?"

By Edith Honan

SALT LAKE CITY, July 17 (Reuters) - With the struggling national economy and the impasse in Washington over the federal debt limit, U.S. governors meeting this weekend in Salt Lake City see at least one reason for optimism: new trade partnerships with China.

Throughout the three-day National Governors Association meeting, more than 20 U.S. governors met with delegations from four Chinese provinces to discuss partnerships in agriculture, energy and manufacturing in the first-ever meeting between the governors association and Chinese provincial leaders.

For China, the partnerships could represent a back-door way into the U.S, market that bypasses Washington, as well as a way to gain allies in any future trade disputes between the two countries.

For U.S. states, the economic opportunity carries hazards, including the risk that job gains could be temporary and that intellectual property could be lost.

"I think some states look at some strategic industries and ask the question: So, the Chinese are going to put some money in here, but are they going to take away our industry and bring it back home? Are they going to steal our technology and put our companies out of business?" said Paul Markowski of Global Strategies-Analysis Group/MES Advisers.

But the states are also thinking "ka-ching," he said, mimicking the sound of a cash register.

U.S. exports to China and Hong Kong totaled $118 billion in 2010, with exports from California, Washington state and Texas each surpassing $10 billion, the U.S.-China Business Council said.

China imported 54.8 million tonnes of U.S. soybeans alone last year, the group said.

"From the perspective of my state, it's a ticket out of the recession," Washington Governor Christine Gregoire, a Democrat and NGA chairwoman, said of trade and China specifically, which this year became the top trading partner of Washington state -- home to Microsoft Corp (MSFT.O).

"Because one of the biggest trading partners for America is China, we wanted to establish this new working relationship at the sub-national level," Gregoire said.

JOBS BOTH SIDES OF THE PACIFIC

Li Xiaolin, executive vice president of the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, said the meeting provided a forum for both countries to "exchange views on economic cooperation, education, environmental protection and trade."

She said agreements will bring jobs to both countries.

Governors said there were some exciting opportunities.

"It's huge," Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker, a Republican, said of the possible impact of Chinese investments in agriculture and related technology.

Iowa Governor Terry Branstad said his state is looking to increase exports of meat, corn and soybeans, while Iowa manufacturing and financial firms were hoping to do more business with China.

"We see some real opportunity there and we're also interested in potential reverse investment of Chinese companies investing in Iowa," said Branstad, who will travel to China this fall.

But there are obstacles.

"The hostility from Washington abounds because the Chinese have attempted both front-end and back-end to steal technology. That is the bottom line," Markowski said.

Derek Scissors, a research Fellow at the Heritage Foundation in Washington, said Chinese investment represents more of an opportunity than a danger.

"China wants technology first, arable land second, and mineral resources third," said Scissors.

"The U.S. will not sell them technology but we might be their best opportunity for buying or leasing farmland. States with shale, coal and natural gas will also be interesting options. There will be investments in manufacturing but these run a high risk of eventual plant relocation back to China."

"I don't think it's a back-door so much as genuine learning by Chinese firms," Scissors said of the governors' meeting.

"They have only recently realized that they must deal with states, not just the federal government. They are just in the process of realizing that courting state governments gives them a valuable partner in political disputes in D.C," he said. (Additional reporting by Paul Eckert in Washington; editing by Todd Eastham)

[ovsfarm]

Interesting that the states are no longer looking to the US government to bail them out. Do they know something we don't know???

[time]

Very disturbing.

[Ann-NWIowa]

Iowa exports a lot of food stuffs to China and has for years. Its a major market. There certainly is no secret about that.

[time]

Originally Posted by Ann-NWIowa

Iowa exports a lot of food stuffs to China and has for years. Its a major market. There certainly is no secret about that.

"The U.S. will not sell them technology but we might be their best opportunity for buying or leasing farmland

Not anymore if they get their way. Looks like they want to skip the american farmer and grow their own.

[JuliaAnn]

"" we might be their best opportunity for buying or leasing farmland""

Buy American farmland, and import Chinese employees to run them. Of that I would have no doubt.

Doubtful there would be jobs for US citizens in such a scenario.

[lonelytree]

My first thought. If you lived in an overpopulated country and were looking for a new place to settle.................

[stamphappy]

Why in the world would we offer them to lease or, God Forbid, buy our land when we can keep our land and sell them the product (soybeans or whatnot)??????

I live in Washington State which according to the article is the state who trades the most with China. I'm trying to purchase acreage. If China steps in and starts purchasing land in Washington State, what is that going to do to the price per acre? I will not be able to purchase my acreage at a reasonable amount.

This same thing happeend in Hawaii with Japan, remember?

[Ernie]

Why in the world would they continue to buy our product when our government is willing to let them buy land here and send their people to work it?

Fifth Generation Warfare, folks. It's happening now and the Chinese are the masters at it. Because they don't see tanks and soldiers in the streets, most Americans don't even realize we ARE at war with China.

If a Chinese ------ gets a job making iPods, then that's an American who doesn't get a job making iPods. Natural resources and manufacturing is a zero sum game.

[Explorer]

Our dollar is becoming worth less and less. China has been buying commodities on the open market for some time. Land is just another commodity that should hold value much better than the dollar, which they have a lot of.

[Dutchie]

Originally Posted by Ernie

Why in the world would they continue to buy our product when our government is willing to let them buy land here and send their people to work it?

.

Where are you getting that???