[nosleeptill]

Having done business in China, and having friends still in China, as one of them put it, "China has more problems than you can count."

China is really a complex house of cards, it looks more foreboding than it actually is in reality.

The second the economy slows the consumers hide, and go back to stuffing cash into their mattresses.

I think Trump is a fool, but in the case of China I think we need a fool. Trump believes he's invincible, so he doesn't get caught up with the "apparent facts" about China and it's economy.

[RhodesianHunter]

We've needed someone to push back against China for some time now.

I just wish it had been in consultation with our allies instead of flipping the middle finger to all of them at the same time.

[watertom]

Everyone is scared of China, so getting our allies to work in concert wouldn't happen, that's why we need a fool. Once everyone realizes that China isn't a tiger, it's easier to get our allies on board.

Western businesses have also wised up, realizing that partnering in China just means that you are forced to give away your IP. China is reliant on western countries partnering and giving away the IP for a shot at the Chinese market, but things have not panned out so well for Western countries because the consumer market in China is rigged against western companies. Also the consumers in China are scared rabbits, their motto is save, save, save, and then save more. It's going to take 2 or 3 generations to change the consumer habits.

Manufacturing is starting to leave China for cheaper countries that don't require you to give away your IP, just like it took 40 years for China to become a manufacturing powerhouse, but it can unwind in a few years.

[yesforwhat]

> Everyone is scared of China, so getting our allies to work in concert wouldn't happen

Wrong. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trans-Pacific_Partnership

[DeonPenny]

This summed up my thoughts exactly. It needed to be done but it would have been more well done by literally anyone else.

[dana321]

Its not just China.

Here in the UK for the first time, i've seen multiple billboards with nothing but scraps on them (they've deleted the adverts by scraping the remnants off)

[tonyedgecombe]

The advertising industry has continued to grow in the UK so I don't think you can read too much into your anecdote.

https://www.statista.com/statistics/281583/advertising-spend...

[nradov]

Maybe advertisers have shifted their spending to social media?