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China Shuts Down Tens Of Thousands Of Factories In Widespread Pollution Crackdown (msn.com)
Buildings in China are shrouded in smog. From a report: China has implemented an unprecedented pollution crackdown in recent months as the country shuts down tens of thousands of factories. The effort is part of a national effort to address China's infamous pollution and has affected wide swaths of China's manufacturing sector. In total, it is estimated that 40 percent of all China's factories have been shut down at some point in order to be inspected by environmental bureau officials. As a result of these inspections over 80,000 factories have been hit with fines and criminal offenses as a result of their emissions. Safety officials have been moving from province to province (30 in total so far) shutting down factories as well as electricity and gas as they inspect the factories for meeting emissions requirements. This has resulted in late and missed orders, increased costs, and could ultimately result in higher prices on US shelves.
They really aren't.
https://www.google.com/search?...
You look at those pictures and think that it's amazing it was that bad, one day. It wasn't. It is that bad nearly all the time. It is a hellscape and it is killing them by the millions.
https://www.huffingtonpost.com...
But they have acknowledged there is a problem and that steps need to be taken.
Putting America First, means being last globally.
China putting these investments in may cause higher prices for their goods in the short term. However showing environmental consciousness could pay off in the long run. With Many EU countries also getting concerned about the environmental impact of its whole supply chain, China may be a better choice. Causing America to Sadly be left behind, having to change only after it is too late, and would be difficult to gain a food hold in the market they have loss.
The US economy needs more customers not lower costs to grow. Having Trump in the office only means other leaders will be able to be the grownup in the room and push their agenda.
If something is so important that you feel the need to post it on the internet... It probably isn't that important.
The thing is, those who have little knowledge of how China works fail to understand how patronage has allowed very inefficient factories to continue to exist.
Starting with the replacement of old WW I style mills and power systems based on coal, China has literally either forced them to be replaced with cogeneration coal plants that capture excess heat, allowing an old style to produce twice the power output with the same raw inputs. They closed down those which could not be retrofitted.
Now they are doing the same with many of the factories. New factory designs are far more efficient, and cheaper to operate, allowing far fewer raw inputs to produce valuable goods, and requiring far less power.
Which makes them more competitive, dropping prices, not raising them.
This is part of why the Western US, with high investment in renewable power and modern fabrication techniques, outcompetes the old style factories in other regions.
Does it cost? For a 2-5 year cycle, sure. But it drops your operating expenses and maintenance, and it lets you outcompete the fossil factories kept up with wire and tape.
Stop focusing on the short term quarterly results, and look to the operational cradle-to-grave results. Adapt or die.
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