Blog: Hypocrisy : to the Nth degree

Thursday 13 July 2017

Hypocrisy : to the Nth degree

In past 2 days , following news reports got me thinking :

· Boycott “ Made in China “ : Andheri residents , activists plan protests

( Hindustan Times / 11 July )

· Boycott Chinese goods, principals tell students( A small step to evoke Patriotism )

( Times of India / 10 July )

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ARGUMENTS ADVANCED :

· Silent protest against conflict with China on Bhutan border

· Create awareness ( ? )

· Send a message of patriotism among masses

· Show support to Indian soldiers on the border

· Students must be made aware about problems the country is facing

· Even if we are able to hurt the economic gains China makes through our country by a little , it will mean we are doing our bit

NOW CONSIDER THIS :

· India-China trade ( $ 2.9 billion in 2000 / $ 71.6 billion in 2015 )

· In same year , our imports from China exceeded our exports to China, by $ 53 billion ! What would our Principals want us to stop importing from China ?

· From China , India buys : Toys ( 95 % of all the toys sold in India ) / Furniture / Building Hardware / Crackers / Lighting and Electric Fittings / Furnishing Fabric / Office Stationary

· Look at Machinery for Power Projects : Of the 117 GW of projects ordered for the 12^th Five year plan , almost 45 % were bagged by foreign players led by the Chinese

These Chinese Power Plants cost HALF of locally manufactured plants , enabling cheaper electricity tariff

· One more reason , our Electricity Tariff are going down is due to surge in Solar Power generation . Here again , nearly all solar PV modules are imported from China – and their prices are dropping by 22 % year after year after year !

· More than 90 % of the Electronic Appliances / Devices , in the homes of those protesting Parents and Principals , are Chinese Imports !

· Using these “ criteria “ ( of border skirmishes ) , shall we also stop imports from Pakistan / Myanmar / Bangladesh etc ?

· Despite UN sanctions , most of the World continues imports from Libya / Iraq / Iran / Syria etc

· Even USA continues to import Chinese Goods despite fighting over those artificial islands created by China in South China Sea

· Ditto - for US imports from Mexico / Cuba

· What if China decided to stop import of Iron ore from India ?

· What about components for smart phones being imported from China – then assembled in India , with 10 % local value addition ? Are those phones , “ Made in China “ or “ Made in India “ ?

· And when Chinese company , FoxConn assembles these in India and ( re- ) exports all over the World , do we pride ourselves on OUR exports ?

WOULD IT NOT BE BETTER TO TELL OUR CHILDREN FOLLOWING FACTS OF GLOBALIZED ECONOMY ? :