Increasingly countries are able to resist U.S. imperialism’s most violent, unpredictable attacks and overwhelming firepower by sharing simple technology, resisting U.S. sanctions and increasing trade with each other.

Iran has made stunning progress in self-defense capability by developing many thousands of relatively low tech, far less expensive drones. The Pentagon and the Zionist military is forced to burn through precious supplies of fabulously expensive and complex interceptor missiles in an effort to block barrages of Iranian drones that are very effective.

Until recently the U.S. had a chokehold on many forms of technology. Those days are past.

Iran has acquired significant and strategic technological, military, and surveillance capability from China, strengthening its defense capabilities and internal security infrastructure. Key areas include missile components, air defense systems, drone technology, AI-enabled surveillance, and satellite navigation via the Beidou system to track U.S. forces. This boosts Iran’s operational capabilities.

Although satellites are now precise enough to read the license on a car from space, all of the maps available commercially are clouded over on U.S. bases and important industrial and military sites. Only the Pentagon had full access or the ability to read in real time tens of thousands of complex images.

Real-Time Intelligence Sharing

But once technology exists it is impossible to keep it in a box.

China has utilized its fleet of 500+ satellites to provide the world with constant SIGINT (Signals Intelligence) and terrain mapping. This support helps Iran track US naval movements in the Persian Gulf in real-time.

Chinese commercial satellite firms, notably MizarVision, have publicly released high-resolution, AI-annotated, satellite images of U.S. military bases and assets throughout West Asia.

The company specializes in generating geospatial intelligence. The images appear in near-real time. So U.S. aircraft, naval vessels, and air defense systems (such as Patriot and THAAD systems) are visible in locations including Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Bahrain.

Conventional armed forces are now vulnerable to observation from hundreds of satellites in low Earth orbit. A number of the facilities and assets posted by MizarVision were subsequently targeted by Iran in missile and drone strikes, which were launched after the US and Israel launched Operation Epic Fury on 28 February.

The deluge of material shows how difficult it has become to hide military assets.

MizarVision’s account on X media site made its first post on 24 February, four days before the U.S. launched their sneak attack.

This now publicly accessible imagery can be downloaded almost immediately, offering a cheap source of real-time intelligence. The images of U.S. bases, naval groups and air defense systems, are all labelled and geolocated using artificial intelligence.

China has also supplied to Iran advanced UHF-band radars like the YLC-8B, which uses low-frequency waves to negate the radar-absorbent coatings used by US stealth bombers and fighters.

Iran has been able to transition to the Chinese BeiDou satellite navigation system as an alternative to the US-created GPS system to avoid manipulation and prevent US intelligence from using it to track Iranian targets within the country.

It is well known that in the face of the harshest U.S. sanctions against Iran and a demand that every other nation comply with U.S. sanctions and join in blockading Iran, China has continued a steady trade with Iran utilizing both open trade and shadow fleets. China accounts for 80 to 90% of Iran’s total oil exports. Other key imports include Liquified Natural Gas – LNG, petrochemicals, plastics, iron/steel, copper and mineral-based products.

This life line is part of a 25-year strategic cooperation agreement signed in 2021. In return China gives concrete assistance in infrastructure development, providing machinery, mechanical appliances, and parts, electrical machinery and electronics, tractors and trucks.

China has provided extensive diplomatic support for Iran, denouncing the US-Israeli war as being a flagrant violation of international law, and demanding at the UN Security Council that Iran’s sovereignty, security, and territorial integrity should be respected and that the US should immediately stop their military operations. China has also clearly pledged continuing humanitarian assistance.

The most important component is Iran’s determination to defend itself and to acquire the technology, training and skills to maintain and strengthen its sovereignty.

Increasingly countries determined to survive U.S. domination recognize the value of sharing skills and technology in confronting a vicious system built on maximizing profits to billionaire corporations.

#International #China #Iran #AntiWarMovement #FOSC

The U.S. has pledged the largest ever arms sale to Taiwan, worth $11.1 billion. This destabilizing and dangerous move represents an attempt to block the inevitable reunification between the People’s Republic of China with the province of Taiwan. Once again, the U.S. is willing to sink resources for wars across the globe while things at home continue to deteriorate.

Both sides of the Taiwan Strait want to maintain peace; the U.S. is dead set on disrupting that peace for its own aims.

The U.S. imperialists are stoking a separatist movement to try and make inroads against a peaceful, thriving socialist country. They invoke “Taiwanese sovereignty” to try and erase the sovereignty of the Chinese people as a whole.

The latest arm sale continues to breach the 1972 Shanghai Communique, where the U.S. itself agreed to the One China Policy.

More and more armaments pave the way for catastrophic conflicts, and Trump is beating war drums on the path of mutual destruction, or more likely, sure defeat. We condemn the arms sales and the aggression, and say no to a new Cold War with China.

Read more about the past, present, and future of Chinese socialism in China Changes Everything, which includes chapters from two FRSO leaders. Order your copy here.

#International #China #Taiwan #FRSO #Statement #AntiWarMovement

New York, NY – On the evening of December 6, the Manhattan office of Workers World buzzed with activists, writers and community members gathered to celebrate the launch of China Changes Everything, a new anthology produced by Friends of Socialist China (FOSC).

Edited and compiled by FOSC, China Changes Everything offers a sweeping, politically grounded portrait of China’s socialist project. With chapters covering topics from green energy transitions and universal healthcare initiatives to high-speed rail networks stitching together rural and urban communities, the book documents China’s model for development.

Speakers at the launch included a number of contributing authors who gave talks about their chapters’ focus and offered insights on both China’s achievements. FRSO leader Mick Kelly, whose chapter is titled “An Analysis of the Escalating U.S. Threats Toward China,” spoke to Washington’s military encirclement and the motives behind Trump’s tariff war.

Syd Loving, who contributed the chapter, “Reflections on How China is Building Socialism,” emphasized the on-the-ground changes behind China’s model. Loving stated, “With lifting 800 million people out of extreme poverty, we are seeing the construction of a society where serving the people is real, and that takes priority over chasing the highest profits. In the U.S., the development that exists is for the few, not for the many. In China, development that leaves people behind is seen as a failure.”

Loving continued, “There are two visions for the future. For the U.S., the vision is more division, more greed and more wars. What’s happening in China and the relationships being built with the rest of the world show that the vision is actually more equality and more peace.”

Speakers expressed that the book arrives at a pivotal moment. One attendee, a longtime anti-war organizer, said, “China is a hot topic, sometimes misunderstood, sometimes feared. The U.S. is ramping up Cold War-style propaganda every day. This book is only going to become more important– it features actual experts and cuts through the noise.”

China Changes Everything can be purchased through this form.

#NewYorkNY #NY #International #China #Socialism #FOSC #FRSO #Feature

Grand Rapids, MI – Spirits were high as Syd Loving, a member of the Central Committee of the Freedom Road Socialist Organization, spoke at two events in the Grand Rapids area on Monday, November 11. Loving had spent ten days during the summer in China as a part of the Friends of Socialist China delegation there – learning about Chinese history, the role of the Communist Party of China (CPC) in daily life and governance, and the technological advances the largest socialist country has made.

Loving took on the numerous misconceptions about China and told why we should learn from China’s experience building socialism.

The two events in Grand Rapids marked the beginning of Loving’s five-day speaking tour through the Midwest. In addition to the talks in Grand Rapids, they will be in Detroit, Columbus, Cleveland and Lafayette. Loving has already spoken to crowds in over a dozen cities in the U.S. since their return.

Loving began the event with an overview of their experiences in China as they visited cities such as Shanghai, Yan’an, Xi’an and Jiuquan. The delegation also attended a major cross-cultural meeting in Dunhuang where hundreds of delegates from countries across the world met with one another.

“China is a real place, it isn’t a utopia.” Loving began. “It’s a real place on Earth. So of course there’s going to be contradictions there like there is in everything. But what we saw really affirmed that China is not only continuing to build socialism in a way that centers the people, but also that China’s role in the world proves that the future is more equal, more peaceful, and more prosperous for more people if we build socialism.”

The talk focused on many aspects of Chinese society in the 21st century, as well as Chinese revolutionary history. They said the trip to Yan’an was amongst their favorite places due to its importance to the revolution.

“I’m a revolutionary, so of course I was excited to go to Yan’an! It was the cradle of the revolution. The party was based there from ’35 to ‘38. It was the end point of the Long March, where members of the Red Army marched tens of thousands of kilometers around enemy lines to group up. And then, from the city, commanded a war against Japanese aggression,” Loving explained.

China’s resounding successes with poverty alleviation was another important topic.

“The U.S. and the rest of the imperialist countries define extreme poverty as something like making less than $3 a day. China has a more robust definition. To them, extreme poverty is when someone doesn’t have access to a safe home, running water, running electricity, education, or safe food. China has completely eradicated this back-breaking poverty in their country and that’s why people support the CPC.”

Loving ended the event with a Q&A portion.

Cindy Gomez, a student at Grand Valley State University, expressed gratitude for their reporting on China, saying, “Syd connecting with the students was beautiful, but listening to Syd break down the myths of China was an awakening experience. Syd brought a form of clarity to the students of Grand Valley about the socialist construction in China.”

Check out Syd Loving’s report back on their trip to China by attending a talk in any of these cities: Detroit on November 18; Cleveland, Ohio November 19; Columbus, Ohio November 20; and Lafayette, Indiana on November 21.

#GrandRapidsMI #MI #International #China #Socialism #FRSO #Feature

Trump was reacting to China’s announcement late Wednesday that it was strengthening its export regulation of rare earths and their products, in particular to prevent diversion to use by hostile militaries. China, in turn was reacting to the United States strengthening its export controls on computer chips in September. China also responded to the imposition of U.S. port fees on Chinese-operated and Chinese-built ships with similar regulations, which mainly fell on ships with some U.S. ownership.

Many people knowledgeable about China were left wondering why Trump reacted with higher tariffs, since the April escalation of tariffs to over 140% didn’t work. If anything, China’s economy may be even stronger to withstand another round of U.S. tariffs than it was in April. The latest trade report from China showed that while China’s exports to the United States had dropped more than 25% in September as compared to a year ago, overall exports had risen 8.3%. This shows that China has been successful in expanding trade with the rest of the world to more than offset the loss of U.S. markets.

China’s imports also rose 7.4% in September as compared to a year earlier. This is a sign that China’s economy is doing relatively well, as a growing economy will buy more imports. Here too China has managed to buy imports from other countries such as Brazil, which has become China’s main source of soybeans instead of U.S. farmers.

While China has pledged to retaliate if and when the Trump administration goes through with the high tariffs, there are still more than two weeks for Trump to back off.

#SanJoseCA #CA #CapitalismAndEconomy #Trump #Tariffs #China

Tallahassee, FL – As a part of the national tour, Sydney Loving, a member of the central committee of the Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO), spoke to a Tallahassee event after her recent visit to socialist China. Loving traveled to China as a member of a delegation organized by the Friends of Socialist China.

Community members joined the event, hosted by Tallahassee FRSO, at the Dr. B.L. Perry branch library, where attendees learned the truth about China from a firsthand account. Loving also dispelled many of the common rumors and lies told about China, emphasizing the remarkable success the nation has had in improving the material conditions for billions of people.

Even Western media, which is often notoriously critical of China, made note of the outstanding progress the Chinese Communist Party has made in eliminating poverty.

Loving described just how different China was even in everyday life, describing just how clean the streets were, and explained how the cities were built with people in mind, in contrast to the car-centric cities of the United States, which have caused immense traffic jams, increased commute times, and a loss of community. This car-centric infrastructure is the polar opposite of what Loving observed while in China. “Moms and their kids would just walk across the intersection, confident the cars would stop for them,” Loving remarked, expressing just how much the feeling of community and mutual trust existed in China.

Although China is undoubtedly a modern country with its eyes on the future, Loving also explained the preservation of culture and history present in China, visiting many cultural sites, including the terracotta generals and a museum dedicated to remembrance of the revolution, one which not only freed China from centuries of dynastic rule. It was truly due to the support of the Chinese people and the commitment of the CCP to improve the lives of the Chinese people that the revolution was so successful despite the odds being stacked against it.

The system of monopoly capitalism that has enveloped many parts of the world is undeniably failing, and the many successes of China, not only in economic development but also in the enhanced standard of living of its people, further showcase the success of socialism.

Overall, Sydney Loving explained how a better, socialist world was possible, one in which the concerns of the people are prioritized over the concerns of mega corporations, a world in which the total eradication of poverty is possible, and a world in homelessness is seen as a failure of the government rather than the failure of the person. Socialist China certainly acts as a beacon of hope as we witness the decay of monopoly capitalism.

#TallahasseeFL #FL #Socialism #International #China #FRSO

Dallas, TX – On Saturday, August 30, more than 30 Dallas residents gathered at Pan African Connection Bookstore and Resource Center for discussion on socialism as it pertains to the modern People's Republic of China.

Hosted by the Freedom Road Socialist Organization, (FRSO), the event was part of a speaking tour led by Sydney Loving, a Central Committee member of FRSO, who spent ten days in China as part of a delegation of Friends of Socialist China.

Loving began the presentation by stating, “75 years of socialist construction. We saw a country that has the largest economy in the world as measured by Purchasing Power Parity, which is a more accurate view than GDP, or Gross Domestic Product, which relies on the stock market and inflates the real economy. China's economy is the largest by industrial manufacturing. Even smaller cities are high-tech and increasingly green, life expectancy is over 78 years which is two years longer than the U.S., and of course where over 800 million people have been lifted out of extreme poverty.”

Loving continued, “Thanks to China's socialism they are completing an industrial revolution every decade since the 1980s. China is in the forefront of this new industrial revolution with AI, quantum technology, big data etc. China and the world have changed forever. But despite these advancements China remains controversial in the West, even amongst the left! Believe it or not. So, it's important to seek truth from fact as Mao says.”

Loving expounded on the particular advancements from the five cities she visited, Xi’an, Yan’an, Dunhuang, Jiayu guan and Shanghai.

Loving stated, “We went to Yan’an, which was really the cradle of the revolution from 1935 to 1947. The Red Army re-grouped there after the Long March, and the CPC [Communist Party of China] held the 7th National Congress there, 16 long years after the 6th Congress, because they were fighting Japanese imperialism and the KMT. [Yan’an is] where Mao Zedong Thought was crystalized and adopted. They fought dogmatism and made the decision to be the party of the masses of Chinese people.”

“In Jiayu guan, we visited JISCO, a state-owned steel company that the workers built the whole city around in the 1950s. Today it has 42% green cover, with ponds and parks– remember this is the Gobi Desert, “ said Loving.

“In Shanghai we went to a robotics facility where they demonstrated the advancements for surgery and industry, and a Lenovo factory where they showed off how they’re partnering with the school system to bring advanced tech into rural classrooms,” said Loving.

Loving concluded her presentation by saying, “China is not a utopia, it's a real place. Everything that we saw affirmed that China is continuing to build socialism that centers the people. China is building a future for all of us that is more peaceful and more equal.”

#DallasTX #TX #International #RevolutionaryTheory #China #Socialism

Noticiero ¡Lucha y Resiste! se sentó con Sydney Loving, participante de la delegación de Amigos de China Socialista, que recientemente regresó de una visita de diez días a cinco ciudades en China. De bases revolucionarios a ciudades de alta tecnología y desarrollo verde, la delegación presenció de primera mano el poder del socialismo a levantar las vidas de la gente. Loving es miembro del Comité Central de la Organización Socialista Camino de la Libertad.

¡Lucha y Resiste!: ¿Cómo llegaste a China? ¿Cuál fue el propósito del viaje?

Sydney Loving: La delegación fue organizada por Amigos de China Socialista, un proyecto político dedicado a fortalecer la comprensión y apoyo para China según la solidaridad y la verdad. Yo representé la Organización Socialista Camino de la Libertad, y la delegación incluyó la gente de la Alianza Negra por la Paz, Mundo de Obreros, Internacional Progresista, Partido Comunista de Britania Liga de Comunistas Jóvenes, la Alianza de Liberación Negra, Libros Iskra, y otros.

Fuimos invitados por la Red China de ONG de Intercambios Internacionales, y durante 10 días visitamos Xi’an, Yan’an, Dunhuang, Jiayuguan y Shanghái.

Durante nuestro viaje a una variedad de lugares, tuvimos la oportunidad de descubrir cómo China está construyendo el socialismo, los avances increíbles que han hecho en 76 años de construcción socialista, y tuvimos diálogos maravillosos sobre cómo podemos rebatir mejor las narrativas negativas y las mentiras estilo Guerra Fría con las que estamos bombardeadas dentro del oeste. Al final, lo que encontramos fue un país encabezado por un partido político con una visión de futuro, con una meta que crea un mejor futuro para todos.

¡Lucha y Resiste!: ¿Cómo describirías el camino de desarrollo de China?

Loving: Para entender verdaderamente lo extraordinario que es el desarrollo de China, hay que entender la historia y cómo fue la vida anterior para la mayoría de la gente. Antes de la revolución en 1949, China fue totalmente devastada por el imperialismo y la ocupación extranjera, feudalismo brutal, las hambrunas provocadas por el hombre, el caudillismo y más. La expectativa de vida en las áreas rurales era tan baja como 24 años. En Xi’an fuimos a unos sitios históricos antiguos, y los generales de terracota y las estatuas de mujeres nobles estaban rollizos – porque la hambruna masiva era una característica de la sociedad por siglos. Entonces, el socialismo tenía que superar todo esto.

Fuimos para Yan’an, que fue verdaderamente la cuna de la revolución de 1935 y 1947. El Ejército Rojo se reagrupó allá después de la Marcha Larga, y el PCCh [Partido Comunista de China] tuvo el 7mo Congreso Nacional, (16 largos años después del 6to Congreso, porque estaban luchando contra el imperialismo japonés y el KMT) en el cual el Pensamiento Mao Zedong fue cristalizado y adoptado. Ellos pelearon contra el dogmatismo y tomaron la decisión de ser el partido de las masas de la gente China. Cuando construyeron las estructuras políticas y eligieron representantes al Congreso, tenían un sistema de platos hondos y frijoles para las personas que no podían leer para votar por sus candidatos.

Ahora, 76 después, vimos un país que es la economía más grande del mundo medido por Paridad de Poder Adquisitivo. Incluso en las ciudades más pequeñas son tecnológicamente avanzadas y cada día más verde, la expectativa de vida es de más de 78 años, y claro donde más de 800 millones de personas han salido de la pobreza extrema – y no solo estamos hablando en términos de cantidades de dólares. Estamos hablando de alimentación, ropa, vivienda, electricidad y agua, atención médica y educación garantizadas.

El capitalismo no es capaz de cumplir esa clase de proyecto. Lo lograron con el planeo central y la movilización en masa. Cada ciudad que visitamos mostró cómo el Partido Comunista está guiando el desarrollo que prioriza a la gente primero.

¡Lucha y Resiste!: ¿Cuáles diferencias notaste en la vida cotidiana?

Loving: Se siente sinceramente diferente a las ciudades en los EE. UU., incluso nuestras ciudades más grandes. Las calles están limpias, caminables, y bien ordenadas a pesar de lo pobladas que están. Hasta el punto de que las madres y sus hijos simplemente caminaban tras cada intersección, con confianza de que los carros tenían que pararse. Muchos vehículos y cosas son diseñados con consideración a las necesidades de los viejos, los niños y los obreros. Aun en uno de los hoteles, los trabajadores se reunían en la plaza para hacer baile/ejercicio por las mañanas. Fue verdaderamente tranquilo pero animado, con parques y jardines en todas partes, y muchas actividades gratuitas y acceso a la cultura y a sitios históricos.

En Xi’an y Dunhuang en particular vimos como miles de años de civilización están siendo preservados como parte de la identidad viva de la gente. Y ya que el turismo interno es tan importante, los museos y sitios estaban llenos de niños, ancianos y familias. Para mí, me quedó claro que mantener el pueblo como dueño de su historia y su cultura es parte fundamental del espíritu revolucionario.

Y no como las ciudades de los EE. UU., no vimos casi ninguna falta de vivienda. En diez días, viajando por cinco ciudades, solo vi a una persona pidiendo limosna en la calle con un código QR en el fondo de una olla. Compáralo con San Francisco o Nueva York, donde hay barrios enteros de campamentos.

Además de eso, la tecnología fue increíble. Desde pequeños robots que toman el elevador para entregar comida a tu cuarto de hotel a los aeropuertos donde solo te paras frente a una cámara y te muestra toda la información de tu puerta de embarque y vuelo. Nuestros anfitriones nos avisaron contra tomar el tren bala porque nosotros los occidentales somos muy lentos con tanto equipaje y seguro íbamos a llegar tarde, pero el tren normal también fue genial.

¡Lucha y Resiste!: Fuiste al noroeste, una región bastante pobre de China. ¿Qué fue lo que más notaste?

Loving: Si, fuimos a la provincia de Gansu, en el borde del desierto de Gobi, una de las partes más empobrecidas de China. Pero realmente nos impresionó lo que están haciendo allí.

En Jiayuguan, visitamos JISCO, una empresa siderúrgica estatal alrededor de la cual los obreros construyeron la ciudad entera en los años 1950s. Hoy tiene una cobertura verde de 42%, con estanques y parques — y recuerda que esto es el desierto Gobi. Es un testamento del nivel de desarrollo de las fuerzas productivas que ahora JISCO incluso tiene una granja lechera y una vinatera con la bodega de vino techada más grande de Asia (sí, probamos el vino — delicioso). También recorrimos la planta de poder solar de sal fundido de Dunhuang, que puede almacenar energía por la noche y un centro de control con IA para una red eléctrica inteligente que ayuda a reducir la producción de carbón en toda la providencia. Le preguntamos a un trabajador allí cuál es la diferencia tecnológica entre cómo funciona su red eléctrica y la de EE. UU., y modestamente nos dijo: “Bueno, nuestra red nunca se cae”. Desafortunadamente, eso me hizo reír – siendo de Texas.

Hay un gran énfasis en la modernización ecológica. Realmente están transformando el desierto en un lugar habitable y sostenible. Es un testamento de cómo van juntos el alivio de la pobreza y el ambientalismo bajo el socialismo.

China también está demostrando que la tecnología no es inherentemente anti-humana. En Shanghái fuimos a una fábrica de robótica en donde demostraron los avances en la cirugía e industria, y una fábrica de Lenovo donde mostraron cómo colaboran con el sistema escolar para llevar tecnología avanzada a escuelas rurales. La diferencia está en quién controla la tecnología, bajo qué sistema y para qué propósito.

Para China, un desarrollo que deja gente atrás simplemente significa un fracaso. Por eso se enfocan en equilibrar el desarrollo de las regiones, impulsando el occidente y el noroeste en lugar de permitir que la riqueza se concentre solo en las costas. Así, tras el éxito de los masivos proyectos de aliviar de la pobreza – que ni la ONU puede negar – la siguiente fase es la “prosperidad común”.

¡Lucha y Resiste!: ¿Cuál fue el papel del Partido Comunista en la vida cotidiana?

Loving: El Partido Comunista estuvo en todas partes. Digo acaban de celebrar haber alcanzado 100 millones de miembros. Aldeas, hospitales, escuelas y fábricas tienen ramas del Partido. En Jiayuguan pasamos por uno de los “Centros del Partido,” donde nuestros guías nos dijeron que las personas pueden ir a hacer preguntas o pedir ayuda de los cadres, hasta el cuidado de los niños.

Me repito, es tan diferente de los partidos políticos de aquí. A los funcionarios locales se les evalúa por cómo sirven a la gente, con el partido siendo una meritocracia en ese sentido. No puedes comprar un puesto de liderazgo como lo hacen en los partidos políticos aquí en los EE. UU.

De hecho, para ascender rango en el Partido, tienes que demostrar tu dedicación y servicio al pueblo. Un miembro del Partido, que era maestro y que también fue nuestro guía improvisado en el autobús, lo resumió diciendo que es un sentimiento de orgullo por lo lejos que han llegado y hacia dónde van. Y con buena razón.

La presencia del PCCh no es misteriosa ni abstracta. Son doctores dando consultas gratis, comités organizando la limpieza de las calles y obreros mejorando las condiciones de seguridad en el trabajo. Esto demuestra por qué pudieron vencer el militarismo japonés y al KMT: porque estaban, y siguen estando, profundamente arraigados en el pueblo.

¡Lucha y Resiste!: ¿Qué lecciones deberían los revolucionarios en los EE. UU. sacar de tu experiencia?

Loving: Sabemos que el capitalismo monopolista es un sistema moribundo, así que una lección para todos es que el socialismo funciona. Esta es la vida real, así no es una utopía, y hay contradicciones y mejoramientos que hacer en todo. Pero está haciendo el trabajo más importante que existe, que es mejorar las vidas de las personas y resolver problemas complicados enormes como la pobreza, el cambio climático, y los ataques a la soberanía y amenazas de guerra, con creatividad y flexibilidad en tiempos de cambio. Si tienen la oportunidad, la gente definitivamente debería visitar y ver por sí mismos.

Pero no es suficiente solo admirar a China. Para los revolucionarios aquí, tenemos que entender nuestras tareas. El mayor obstáculo a un futuro pacífico y digno para todos es el imperialismo de los EE. UU. El mismo sistema que bombardea Palestina, bloquea Cuba, financia golpes de estado en África, y quiere declarar guerra contra China.

El imperialismo de los EE. UU. es enemigo de la gente aquí también.

Como comunistas, estamos estableciendo liderazgo en todos los aspectos de la lucha de la gente y construyendo un movimiento revolucionario en la casa, para crear un partido de la clase obrera, arraigado en la gente, con la misma agilidad y claridad de propósito que han demostrado los comunistas de China por casi un siglo. Dicho esto, no hay una forma de copiar y pegar el camino de China que funcione para nosotros. Tenemos que aplicar la ciencia revolucionaria a nuestras propias condiciones, tiempo y lugar.

¡Lucha y Resiste!: ¿Tienes pensamientos finales?

Loving: ¡El socialismo es el futuro! En muchos aspectos, China está mostrando el camino, pero es verdad para todos nosotros. La gente en cada rincón del mundo merece vivir con dignidad y paz. Lo alcanzaremos si luchamos por ello.

#International #China #FRSO #OSCL #RevolutionaryTheory #Interview #Opinion #Socialism

Minneapolis, MN – On Friday, August 15, more than 50 Twin Cites residents gathered at Lucy Parsons Center for the event “China: A Contrasting Vision for the World,” hosted by Women Against Military Madness (WAMM) talking about China and constructing a socialist society.

While China is growing influence in the world, it is being seriously threatened, both militarily and economically, by the U.S. and other Western powers. The Western press is constantly vilifying the country, pumping out disinformation on a near-daily basis. It was the goal of this panel to help dispel some of these myths.

Sarah Martin, a longtime member of WAMM, opened the panel by talking about some of the ways China is building socialism, “from ground-breaking achievements, poverty alleviation, and environmental protection to China’s role in promoting a global future built on mutual prosperity and a just peace.” Martin then introduced the main speaker for the event, Sydney Loving.

Loving, a member of the Freedom Road Socialist Organization’s Central Committee, went to China as part of the Friends of Socialist China delegation. She traveled to five different cities, including Xa’An and Shanghai, to see up close how China is building socialism.

Loving began the presentation with a brief history of the conditions of pre-revolution China, stating, “The countryside was being looted by elites, you had millions of deaths due to famines.” Indeed, “starvation was a feature of society. There was a life expectancy of around 24 years in the countryside, opium addiction was rampant, warlords ruled vast regions of the country. It was hell.”

Loving contrasted that with conditions in current-day China, stating, “With 75 years of socialist construction it has the largest economy, the largest industrial manufacturing and trading economy, absolute poverty eliminated, and life expectancy that is two years longer than the U.S.”

Loving continued, “China is the only renewable superpower in the world. 60% of all wind and solar production in the world is in China, 98% of all electric buses are made in China, 70% of all high-speed rail is in China, two-thirds of electric vehicles are in China, and they are a world leader in biodiversity and forestation.”

With wealth inequality growing, violence increasing around the world, and climate change continuing rapidly, the world is now more than ever looking to China for how to build an equal and just society, one that puts people's needs first. Panels like this are critical for understanding the path forward.

#MinneapolisMN #MN #International #China #Socialism #RevolutionaryTheory #WAMM

Fight Back! sat down with Sydney Loving, a participant in the 2025 Friends of Socialist China delegation, which recently returned from a ten-day visit across five cities in China. From revolutionary bases to high-tech cities and green development, the delegation witnessed firsthand the power of socialism to uplift the lives of the people. Loving is a member of the Central Committee of Freedom Road Socialist Organization.

Fight Back!: How did you go to China? What was the purpose of the trip?

Sydney Loving: The delegation was organized by Friends of Socialist China, a political project aiming to strengthen understanding and support for China on the basis of solidarity and truth. I repped Freedom Road Socialist Organization, and the delegation included folks from Black Alliance for Peace, Workers World, Progressive International, Communist Party of Britain Young Communist League, Black Liberation Alliance, Qiao Collective, Iskra Books, and others.

We were invited by the China NGO Network for International Exchanges, and over ten days we visited Xi’an, Yan’an, Dunhuang, Jiayuguan, and Shanghai.

Traveling to a range of areas, we got to investigate how China is building socialism, the incredible advances they’ve made in 76 years of socialist construction, and we had awesome dialogues about how we can better counter the negative narratives and Cold War-type lies we’re bombarded with in the West. Ultimately what we found was a country led by a forward-thinking political party, with a purpose that’s carving out a better future for everybody.

Fight Back!: How would you describe China’s path of development?

Loving: To really understand how remarkable China’s development is, you’ve got to understand the history and what life was like for most people. Before the revolution in 1949, China was totally devastated by imperialism and foreign occupation, brutal feudalism, man-made famines, warlordism, etc. Life expectancy in the rural areas was as low as 24 years old. In Xi’an we went to some ancient history sites, and the terracotta generals and statues of noblewomen were plump – because mass starvation was a feature of society for centuries. So, socialism had all this to overcome.

We went to Yan’an, which was really the cradle of the revolution from 1935 to 1947. The Red Army re-grouped there after the Long March, and the CPC [Communist Party of China] held the 7th National Congress there, (16 long years after the 6th Congress, because they were fighting Japanese imperialism and the KMT) where Mao Zedong Thought was crystalized and adopted. They fought dogmatism and made the decision to be the party of the masses of Chinese people. When they built the political structures and elected representatives to the Congress, they had a system of bowls and beans for people who couldn’t read to vote for their candidates

Now, 76 years later, we saw a country that’s the largest economy in the world as measured by Purchasing Power Parity. Even smaller cities are high-tech and increasingly green, life expectancy is over 78 years, and of course where over 800 million people have been lifted out of extreme poverty– and we’re not just talking by dollar amounts. We’re talking guaranteed food, clothing, housing, electricity and water, healthcare and education.

Capitalism is just not capable of that kind of project. They did it through central planning and mass mobilization. Every single city we visited showed how the Communist Party is guiding development that puts people first.

Fight Back!: What differences did you notice in daily life?

Loving: It really feels very different than cities in the U.S., even our biggest cities. The streets are clean, walkable, and well-organized despite how populous they are. To the point where moms and their kids would just walk across the intersection, confident the cars would stop for them. Lots of electric vehicles and things are designed with the needs of the elderly, children and workers in mind. Even at one of our hotels, the workers would all meet in the quad for a dance/exercise in the mornings. It was really peaceful but lively, with parks and gardens everywhere, and tons of free activities and access to culture and historical sites.

In Xi’an and Dunhuang especially we saw how thousands of years of civilization are being preserved as part of people’s living identity. And with internal tourism being a big deal, museums and sites were full of schoolkids, seniors and families. To me it was clear that having history and culture belong to the people is part of the revolutionary spirit.

And unlike cities in the U.S., we saw almost no homelessness. In ten days, traveling around five cities, I saw just one person begging on the street with a QR code in the bottom of a pan. Compare that to San Francisco or New York, where you have entire neighborhoods of encampments.

Also, the technology was unreal. From little robots that take the elevator to deliver food to your hotel room to the airports where you just stand in front of a camera and it displays all your gate and flight info. Our hosts advised against us taking the bullet train because we Westerners were too slow with all our luggage and definitely would’ve been late, but the normal train was awesome, too.

Fight Back!: You went to the northwest, a poorer region of China. What stood out?

Loving: Yes we went to Gansu Province, on the edge of the Gobi Desert, one of the most historically impoverished parts of China. But we were really blown away by what they’re doing there.

In Jiayuguan, we visited JISCO, a state-owned steel company that the workers built the whole city around in the 1950s. Today it has 42% green cover, with ponds and parks– remember this is the Gobi Desert. It’s a testament to the level of development of the productive forces that now JISCO even has a dairy farm and a winery with the largest indoor wine cellar in Asia (yes we tasted the wine – delicious). We also toured the Dunhuang molten salt solar power plant, which can store energy at night, and a smart grid AI control center that helps reduce carbon output across the province. We asked a worker there what’s the difference in tech between how their power grid works vs. in the U.S., and he modestly said, “Well our grid never goes down.” Unfortunately, I got a kick out of that – being from Texas.

There’s a big emphasis on ecological modernization. They’re really transforming a desert into a livable, sustainable place. It’s a testament to how poverty alleviation and environmentalism go hand in hand under socialism.

China is also proving that tech isn’t inherently anti-human. In Shanghai we went to a robotics facility where they demonstrated the advancements for surgery and industry, and a Lenovo factory where they showed off how they’re partnering with the school system to bring advanced tech into rural classrooms. The difference is who controls tech, under what system, and for what purpose.

For China, development that leaves some folks behind means failure. That’s why they focus on balancing the regions, uplifting the west and northwest instead of letting wealth pool on the coasts. So after the success of the massive poverty alleviation projects -which even the UN can’t deny – the next phase is “common prosperity.”

Fight Back!: What was the role of the Communist Party in daily life?

Loving: The Communist Party was everywhere. I mean they just celebrated reaching 100 million members. Villages, hospitals, schools and factories have Party branches. In Jiayuguan we passed one of the “Party Centers,” where our guides told us people can go and ask questions or get help from cadres, even childcare.

Again, it’s so different than political parties here. Local officials are graded on how well they serve the people, with the party being a meritocracy in that sense. You can’t buy your way into leadership like they do for political parties here in the U.S.

Actually, to rise the ranks in the Party, you have to demonstrate your dedication and service to the people. One Party member who was a teacher and an impromptu tour guide on our bus summed it up by saying it’s a feeling of pride in how far they’ve come and where they’re going. And for a good reason.

The CPC’s presence isn’t shadowy or abstract. It’s doctors giving free checkups, committees organizing street sanitation, workers shoring up safety conditions. It proves why they were able to defeat Japanese militarism and the KMT: because they were, and still are, deeply rooted in the masses.

Fight Back!: What lessons should revolutionaries in the U.S. draw from your experience?

Loving: We know that monopoly capitalism is a dying system, so one of the lessons for everyone is that socialism works. This is real life, so it’s not a utopia, and there’s contradictions and improvements to be made in everything. But it’s doing the most important work there is, which is lifting up people’s lives and solving huge complicated problems like poverty, climate change, and attacks on sovereignty and threats of war, with creativity and flexibility in changing times. If you get the chance, folks should definitely visit and see for yourselves.

But it’s not enough to just admire China. For revolutionaries here, we have to understand our tasks. The biggest obstacle to a peaceful, dignified future for everybody is U.S. imperialism. The same system that bombs Palestine, blockades Cuba, funds coups in Africa, and they’d like to wage war on China.

U.S. imperialism is the enemy of the people here, too.

As communists, we are earning leadership in all the strands of the people’s struggle and building a revolutionary movement at home, to create a party of the working class, rooted in the people, with the same agility and clarity of purpose that China’s communists have shown for almost a century. That being said, there’s no copy-pasting of China’s path that will work for us. We have to apply revolutionary science to our own conditions, time and place.

Fight Back!: Final thoughts?

Loving: Socialism is the future! In many respects China is showing the way, but it’s true for all of us. People in every corner of the world deserve to live with dignity and peace. We will get there if we fight for it.

#International #China #FRSO #RevolutionaryTheory #Opinion #Interview #Socialism #Feature

On March 14th, Republican U.S. Rep. Riley Moore, along with other Republican co-sponsors, introduced a draconian bill to the House Committee on the Judiciary titled the Stop CCP VISAs Act of 2025, which stands for “Stop Chinese Communist Prying by Vindicating Intellectual Safeguards in Academia Act of 2025.”

If passed, this would block visas for Chinese students who want to study and work in the U.S. Many people have pointed out that this bill is reminiscent of the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, which banned Chinese immigration. This is telling as to which time period “Make America Great Again” harkens back to.

While some feel this bill is unlikely to pass due to the economic contribution Chinese students make, we feel it is necessary to strongly oppose this action because it is an indicator of a larger anti-Chinese sentiment that is being promoted inside the United States. Given that both the House and Senate are Republican controlled, and the Democratic Party’s track record of fighting back is nearly non-existent, we believe it is best to speak up now and not leave this up to chance.

The basis for this bill is downright racist. It paints an image of Chinese students as some kind of network of spies, in which every single Chinese person is in on the plot to undermine the U.S. The reality is the U.S. government does not need China’s help to undermine itself, because measures such as this one which are economically and diplomatically self-sabotaging.

This is part of a larger effort to attempt to isolate China. This effort cannot help but backfire, as the U.S. is only isolating itself. We see this with the tariffs, sanctions, and the ongoing trade war against China, which the U.S. workers will have to foot the bill for.

Militarily, China is encircled by the U.S. empire, which continues to prod and antagonize from all directions, especially on the Korean Peninsula over the last few months, and intervention in the Philippines. Looking at the way the U.S. has treated the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea gives a lot of insight into what the U.S. ruling class and the Trump administration would love to do to People’s China if they had the chance.

In addition to being racist and reactionary, this bill is also intensely hypocritical, as we know that the U.S. continues its long tradition of meddling and spying on the politics of other nations, probably more so than any other government on earth. The U.S. has always had a double standard set for itself in the realm of foreign policy.

China, on the other hand, does not bully or attempt to influence the politics of other countries. It does not invade them or fight wars of conquest. China approaches other countries on the basis of mutual cooperation, regardless of how big or small. Much of the world is turning towards China because of this, and many working-class people in the U.S. are beginning to look towards China as the trailblazer of a new way forward.

Hands off Chinese students!

End the war on all immigrants!

Defend Socialist China!

#International #China #FriendsOfSocialistChina #Statement #ImmigrantsRights #Visas

On the other hand, China does not accept this. China was fairly restrained in responding to the first two 10% tariffs leveled by the United States. But once the United States kept raising tariffs, China responded in kind, eventually raising their tariffs to 125% on U.S. items. China stands ready to begin negotiations with the appointment of a chief trade negotiator, Li Chenggang, who was China’s chief negotiator at the World Trade Organization.

China has been actively increasing its domestic market to rely less on trade for the last 15 years. Further China has expanded trade with other nations to reduce the percentage of exports going to the United States. 25 years ago, China was the leading trade partner to less than 20 countries, all in Asia, Africa and Cuba. Last year it was the United States that was the leading trade partner to less than 40 of the 190 countries and regions of the world, almost all in the Americas and Europe. China was the leader in trade with almost all developing countries and even led in trade to U.S. military allies such as Japan and South Korea.

Another thing would be to look at the details of who buys what in the China/U.S. trade relationship. The single largest product that China buys from the United States is soybeans, which China can buy from other countries such as Brazil. The same goes for the second largest products, oil and gas, which China can buy from many other countries such as Russia, Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Oman.

On the other hand, Chinese machines are the single largest item bought by the United States – not consumer goods as many people think. While the United States does have other sources of machinery, to import more from Mexico, Japan, Canada and Germany would still cost significantly more, as Trump has tariffed all these countries. The second biggest U.S. import from China is nuclear reactor equipment. Russia is a leading exporter in this field, but U.S. sanctions prevent buying from them anymore.

In particular, the United States (and the rest of the world) relies on China as a source of so-called “rare earth” metals – which are not really that rare. While deposits of these rare earths are widespread, China has a near monopoly on (92%) the processing of these metals from their ores. China’s rare earth processing is dominated by state-owned enterprises or SOEs. One of the roles of SOEs in China’s socialist economy is to have lower profit margins in order to provide raw materials at lower prices, which benefits China’s manufacturing industries.

China has begun to restrict the exports of rare earth metals and magnets made from them to the United States. These are used in both military and industrial processes and could impact both the U.S. war machine as well and companies manufacturing MRIs and automobiles, as well as other industries. While the United States does have its own rare earth mines, it would take years to develop processing facilities, and China also has the most advanced technology for processing rare earth ores.

China recently stopped its airlines from taking deliveries of Boeing jetliners. This is a blow at one of America’s giant corporations, which has been weakened by a series of accidents. While many of the commercial jets in China are Boeings, China has been moving away from Boeing for years and now flies more Airbuses than Boeing airliners. Further, Airbus has an assembly plant in China, whereas Boeing does not.

China also has a new Comac C919 airliner. It is a narrow body airliner like some of the Boeing 737 or Airbus A320 airliners. While it does rely on some U.S.-made parts, it can still import these parts – at least for now. But even if the U.S. expands its sanctions to commercial airliner parts, this will lead to China accelerating its manufacturing of substitute parts.

Finally, China has a resource that the United States doesn’t even have – the world’s longest high-speed rail system in the world. In fact, half of the world’s high speed rail tracks are in China. So even if the U.S. managed to somehow shut down China’s supply of planes, people could still take the train.

Last but not least are the two economic systems involved. Trump’s Secretary of the Treasury, billionaire Scott Bessent, said in reaction to China matching Trump’s tariffs, “they’re playing with a pair of twos.” This gaming mentality is common on Wall Street where Bessent ran a hedge fund, and represents the outlook of finance capital, a feature of monopoly capitalism.

On the other hand, China is a socialist society, and rather than gambling on a trade war, China has a long-term plan. “Made in China 2025”, adopted by the Chinese government ten years ago in 2015, was their guide to changing from being the world’s factory based on low labor costs to competing or leading in higher-technology industries. In an article by the American business news source Bloomberg, China was said to lead the world in five industries: drones, electric vehicles and lithium batteries, graphene (high-tech carbon), high speed rail, and solar panels. The success of the Chinese electric cars is seen in Chinese BYD vehicles passing Tesla.

In most of the other areas, including ship building, pharmaceuticals, agricultural machinery, machine tools, robotics, artificial intelligence (Deepseek) and semiconductors, Chinese products are competitive. Only in one industry, commercial airlines, is China still behind world leaders such as Airbus and Boeing. Because of China’s advances the Trump administration is limiting AI chip exports and is developing plans for tariffs on Chinese ships, pharmaceuticals, cell phones and computers (the last two would be general, not just levied on Chinese goods).

So, while China is looking to and making its way to the industries of the future, Trump wants to return to the past, extolling 19th century industries like iron and coal and gambling on a trade war.

#SanJoseCA #CA #CapitalismAndEconomy #Tariffs #Trump #China #TradeWar

While Trump tossed off the large declines in the stock market last Thursday and Friday, April 3 and 4, this week bond prices began to decline, driving up interest rates. These higher interest rates seemed to threaten Trump’s ability to get his tax cuts passed in Congress, so Trump pulled back.

While most of the world breathed a sigh of relief, Trump did not mention the tariffs that he put on Canada and Mexico. Nor did he pull back on the 25% tariffs on imported automobiles, which will hit Mexico and Canada especially hard, given how the auto industry has integrated their supply and productions over the three countries since the signing of the North American Free Trade Agreement in 1994.

Trump even increased tariffs on China to 125% after China matched Trump’s tariffs, bringing the Chinese tariffs on U.S. imports to 84%. So far, China has not responded to Trumps latest escalation. Trump and most economists think that China is weaker because they sell more to the United States than the U.S. sells to them. But China mainly buys agricultural goods, oil and gas, electronics, medicinal drugs, and airplanes from the U.S. – products that China can either buy from other countries or can make themselves. On the other hand, it would be harder for the United States to replace the large amount of consumer electronics (such as the Apple iPhone) and rare earth elements that the U.S. mainly sources from China. In addition, the U.S. runs a large trade surplus in services that China could also restrict.

While China exports more to the United States than any other country, the U.S. only accounts for less than 15% of China’s goods sold abroad. Even since the first Trump administration and his tariffs on China, China has been diversifying its trade away from the United States. Further, pulling back on tariffs from the rest of the world will still allow Chinese companies to shift their production to other countries, especially the private companies that began to so this long before the Trump trade war because of rapidly rising wages in China.

China’s sophisticated supply chains, skilled labor, and machinery means that some U.S. businesses will refuse to move production out of China. They figure that Trump’s tariffs won’t last forever (in fact of the rest of the world the so-called “reciprocal tariffs” didn’t even last 24 hours before Trump “paused” them). And in the meantime, they can look for other countries to export to from China and try to find ways to cut costs in China.

Last but not least, China has a greater ability to offset the pain of tariffs domestically through government borrowing and spending. The U.S. government budget deficit is already very large, at $1.8 trillion, and growing as the economy slows. The Republican majority in Congress is much more interested in renewing Trump’s 2017 tax cut that mainly benefited corporations and the well-to-do, while food programs that benefit the poor are already being cut. China’s people are much more united against the U.S. tariffs and Trump, whereas most Americans do not support Trump’s tariff policies, even before most the side effects, such as higher prices and layoffs actually hit.

#SanJoseCA #CA #CapitalismAndEconomy #Trump #Tariffs #China

Lin Jian stated, “The U.S. is still abusing tariffs and exerting maximum pressure on China. China firmly rejects and will never accept such hegemonic and bullying move. If the U.S. truly wants to settle the issue through dialogue and negotiation, it should let people see that they’re ready to treat others with equality, respect and mutual benefit. If the U.S. decides not to care about the interests of the U.S. itself, China and the rest of the world, and is determined to fight a tariff and trade war, China’s response will continue to the end.”

Lin Jian also noted, “No matter how the international landscape evolves, China’s economy has a solid foundation and sufficient driving forces for steady growth against the odds. With the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee, the notable strengths of socialism with Chinese characteristics, a solid foundation built up from sustained rapid development, a super-sized market, a complete industrial system and more importantly, the concerted efforts of the 1.4 billion people, China has the confidence and capability to address various risks and challenges. External shocks cannot change China’s economic fundamentals with a stable foundation, numerous strengths, remarkable resilience and vast potential.”

#International #China #Trump #Tariffs

Up to the time of China’s announcement, futures markets for U.S. stocks looked like the stock market was going to try to bounce back from Thursday’s lows. But once the news hit, the futures began to sink. Not even the March jobs report, which came in much better than expected, was able to stem the drop in stocks. By the end of the day, all the major stock indices – the broad S&P 500, the technology-heavy NASDAQ, and the headline Dow Jones Industrial Average – all fell by almost 6%, even worse than the day before and the worst drop since the COVID-19 pandemic hit the U.S. economy in 2020.

The reality of a worldwide trade war, centered by the world’s two largest economies, China and the United States, has finally sunk into investors in U.S. stocks. For the first time, J.P. Morgan Chase, one of the big four U.S. banks, said that they expect a recession in the U.S. economy. Big U.S. retailers such as Target and Best Buy, which sell large numbers of imported goods, have said that prices are likely to rise. Once again stagflation, or a combination of a recession and higher inflation, is raising its head.

#SanJoseCA #CA #CapitalismAndEconomy #Tariffs #China #Trump

Fight Back News Service is circulating the following statement by the Friends of Socialist China U.S. Committee in response to the Trump administration’s announcement of new tariffs on Chinese imports.

The Trump administration’s decision to slap additional tariffs on the People’s Republic of China is something that should be condemned by every person who cares about peace and progress. These moves are making the world a more dangerous place and are part of a larger anti-China policy being pursued by the Trump administration – a policy begun under the Obama administration and deepened during the Biden administration.

These tariffs are in effect a tax on working people here in the United States and will result in rising prices for our necessities and wants. They will have no impact whatsoever on the lifestyles of the billionaires. Indeed, the money raised from increased prices will be used to fund the Trump regime’s tax cuts for the super-rich. Furthermore, these tariffs will harm the U.S. economy more than China’s. People’s China has a more diversified economy, more trading partners, and a greater share of world trade.

To quote Mao Zedong, “Lifting a rock only to drop it on one’s own feet is a Chinese folk saying to describe the behavior of certain fools.” This certainly applies to Trump and his wealthy backers.

The tariffs against China exist in a larger context. The U.S. empire is in a state of stagnation and decline, while People’s China is developing at an incredible speed. Wall Street and the Pentagon are working to “contain” and encircle China. They are increasing the spending for war preparations, attempting to draw countries in the region into hostile alliances aimed at China, and encouraging separatist forces in Taiwan, Tibet and Xinjiang. The tariffs supplement the hundreds of U.S. sanctions against China in textiles, solar energy, computers and more.

For the past decade, U.S. policy makers have talked about “decoupling” the U.S. economy from that of China. Washington DC’s trade war is a part of that process, and it cannot be separated from preparations for other kinds of war in the Pacific, including those fought by military means.

Socialist China has made incredible achievements. China has waged a real war o poverty, while the U.S. government is waging a war on working people. China is by far the world leader in renewable energy production, electric transport, biodiversity protection and afforestation. China takes public health seriously. That’s why its life expectancy consistently goes up. Here in the U.S., we have measles outbreaks, and vaccine “skeptics” running the show. China wants peace. No serious person can say that about the U.S. today.

We demand that the tariffs directed at China be rolled back. We oppose the Trump administration’s anti-China policy, including any and all preparations for war. And we stand in solidarity with socialist China as it heads into a bright future.

#International #China

Together Canada, China and Mexico are about 40% of the United States’ total trade, so that this is the biggest increase in tariffs since the Smoot-Hawley tariffs of 1930. Those tariffs and other countries’ responses made the worldwide economic recession even worse and were a factor in turning a bad recession into a depression. Economic studies show that Trump’s tariffs could push Canada and Mexico into recessions, while economic growth and employment would slow, and prices rise in the United States.

The immediate impact will be higher prices here in the United States. Some of it is predictable, as imported maple syrup from Canada and imported tequila from Mexico go up in price because of these taxes on imports. Other fruits and vegetables like avocados will also become more expensive, raising grocery prices even more.

Gas prices could go up, not only in the Midwest and Gulf Coast, where U.S. gasoline refineries rely on imported oil, but also in places like California that uses imported Canadian oil. Car production will be hit too, as many cars sold in the United States, including U.S. brands such as Ford and GM are either produced in Canada or Mexico and/or use parts made in our two neighboring countries.

The biggest burden of Trump’s tariffs, estimated to be about $830 per household, would be on lower income households.Lower income folks would lose about four times as much of their purchasing power as those in the highest income households. This fall in purchasing power would lower demand for goods and services and slow economic growth and job creation.

But these estimates only count the direct cost of tariffs. There are two types of indirect costs. First of all, U.S. producers could maximize their profits in the short run by raising their prices.This is what happened when Trump slapped 25% tariffs on steel in his first term – U.S. steel producers raised their prices by 22%, padding their bottom line, but causing even bigger overall price increases.

The second type of cost to Americans is retaliation by other countries. The prime minister of Canada has ordered 25% tariffs on more than a $100 billion of imports from the United States in retaliation. Mexico’s president ordered her economy minister to prepare both tariff and non-tariff responses to Trump’s tariffs. The Chinese Ministry of Commerce said that China will file a complaint with the World Trade Organization or WTO and take “countermeasures” against the United States.

China is actually better positioned than either Canada or Mexico because it has been able to diversify its trade away from the United States since Trump’s first term in office. Both Canada and Mexico send 70% or more of their exports to the United States. However, China’s biggest export market is now ASEAN, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Singapore, Philippines, Thailand, Myanmar, Brunei and Indonesia), with the European Union not far behind the United States.

While Trump has threatened to increase tariffs if any of the countries retaliate, an escalating trade war could push Canada and/or China to “go nuclear” by putting export taxes or restrictions on key exports such as oil from Canada or rare earth metals from China. In the long run, both Canada and/or Mexico could follow China’s path and try to reorient their trade to Asia, Europe and Latin America.

Trump’s tariffs are moving the United States to “decouple” its economy from the rest of the world. This response to the relative decline in U.S. economic power, from 40% of world GDP afterWorld War II to only around 15% today (as measured by “purchasing power parity,” which compares the actual prices of goods and services). However, these tariffs, along with Trump’s escalating deportations, and anti-education and anti-health moves, will just accelerate the rate of U.S. decline.

#SanJoseCA #Trump #Tariffs #Economy #China #Canada #Mexico #WTO

On January 20, Trump stood in the Capitol rotunda promising a “golden age” and vowed to stem the decline of the U.S. empire, which in fact is something he will not and cannot do. The opposite is the case. The economic policies he promotes, such as continued decoupling the U.S. economy from that of People’s China and erecting a wall of tariffs, will accelerate the decline of the United States. Increased military spending for the Pentagon or the deployment of more military forces into the Pacific will not change this.

Over the long run, a decrease in economic power will be followed by a decline of political power. The role of the U.S. in the world economy is shrinking. In 1960, the U.S. had about 40% of the world GDP. Today it is about half that, depending on how you measure.

This U.S. has is abandoning projects that put it at the center of the international economy, such as the World Trade Organization. The 2017 withdrawal from the Trans-Pacific Partnership, carried out by Donald Trump days after his first inauguration eight years ago, is another symptom of deterioration. The relative weakness of the U.S. economy is being accompanied by a fragmentation of the world economy.

Looking at statistics from the International Monetary Fund to compare the size of the respective economies, People’s China has surpassed that of the U.S. The metric of Purchasing Power Parity (PPP), which allows one to compare which commodities and services can be purchased with a given currency, indicates that in 2024 China had about 19% of the world GDP and the U.S. had about 14% of the world GDP. One could also look at a host of industries, from auto and to ship building to steel and green technologies, and see that the U.S. is being left behind.

Two issues to consider

We are looking at U.S. policy and plans in the Pacific in general. Two things need to be considered as we try to get a handle on what is coming next.

First, there is a fair amount of overlap on the China policy pursued by Democratic and Republican politicians. We can have some confidence that Trump will be unmatched when it comes to pronouncements infused with chauvinism and xenophobia, such as he did before, calling COVID the “China virus.” While he may well adopt a more extreme anti-China position than the Biden administration, there is a certain continuity in U.S. policy from administration to administration.

For example, when Defense Secretary Austin was testifying on the 2024 defense appropriation bill at the Senate Armed Services Committee, he stated, “This is a strategy-driven budget – and one driven by the seriousness of our strategic competition with the People's Republic of China.”

The second issue is Taiwan Province, the great unsolved issue of the Chinese revolution. The U.S. has long encouraged reactionary and separatist forces on the island to “contain” China.

Communist Party of China General Secretary Xi Jinping has said, “The people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait are one family. No one can sever our family bonds, and no one can stop the historical trend of national reunification.” The CPC has also made it clear that separatism will not be allowed to flourish, and the current situation cannot continue forever. Biden said the U.S. would intervene militarily to block reunification, and Trump says socialist China is afraid of him. So, we will see – it is a safe bet that what Xi Jinping says is right – if reunification is “inevitable.”

Trump, trade and tariffs

Countries that enact tariffs generally do so as a means to protect internal markets for industrial development. Monopoly capitalist powers in decline, like this U.S., have a bias towards tariffs as they shield internal markets and out of date industries from competition. For example, China has developed a steel industry that much more advanced than that in the U.S. – hence lots of tariffs for China’s steel and steel products.

The Biden administration kept many of the China tariffs from the first Trump administration and upped some – like those on electric vehicles and aluminum. Now Trump who bills himself as “tariff man” has vowed to take things to another level – at times talking about 60% tariffs on some Chinese goods, or 25% tariffs, and most recently 10% China tariffs starting February 1. We will see.

One impact of tariffs will be an upward pressure on prices in the U.S. at a time when many of us are tired of inflation. Also, tariffs will not result in a huge number of manufacturing jobs, because of the advances in automation technologies.

There is also a political/military dimension to the aspiration to “delink” the two economies and “protect” supply chains

It’s worth noting that the high tariffs were one of the factors that deepened the Great Depression of the 1930s.

Looking to the future

Current U.S. strategy towards China has several elements, including a massive military buildup – things like more naval spending, more troops and missiles in the Philippines, and Pentagon programs like the Pacific Deterrence Initiative. There is no reason to think the Trump administration will pull back on this or change direction.

U.S. strategy also includes drawing countries of the Pacific region into hostile alliances, formal or informal, against China. Trump may find that more difficult, largely because a U.S. under Trump cannot be counted on to honor its commitments – even to its lackeys.

On the balance, it can be said that the U.S. is on the road to greater conflict with China and the possibility of the U.S. provoking a major military conflict can not be ruled out – in fact it would be a likely consequence of where things are heading now.

Progressives, revolutionaries and those of us in the anti-war movement need to stand with China. China has done nothing wrong – it is developing socialism and working for peace. And not surprisingly, China has friends all over the world, including right here in the United States.

We are going to be busy over the next four years. We have an enemy in the White House that will wage an unrelenting war on people at home and abroad, it is our job to make sure that war is not a one sided one.

#RevolutionaryTheory #International #China #Trump #FRSO

Mao Ning stated, “The Panama Canal is a great creation of the people of Panama. It is a golden waterway for connectivity among countries. China has always supported the people of Panama in their just cause for sovereignty over the Canal. Dating back to the 1960s, large-scale demonstrations took place across China, which had been vocal in supporting the people of Panama in their struggle to regain their sovereignty over the area of the Canal. China will as always respect Panama’s sovereignty over the Canal and recognize the Canal as a permanently neutral international waterway. We believe the Canal will continue to make new contributions to facilitating integration and exchanges between people of different countries and enhancing humanity’s well being.”

#International #China #Panama #PanamaCanal

Marking the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China, Praxis Press, together with Friends of Socialist China, has released an excellent new book, People’s China at 75: The Flag Stays Red. This book is edited by Keith Bennett and Carlos Martinez, and compiles articles by China experts from all over the world explaining and defending Chinese socialism. Anyone who wants to understand socialism in China, from 1949 to today, should read this book.

The articles in the book cover a number of important topics. We can’t cover them all here, but we can look at some highlights. For example, Jenny Clegg’s article “China’s transition to socialism: 1049-1956” explains the period during which China laid the foundations of socialism. She discusses China’s post-war rehabilitation, New Democracy, and how it ensured that China would progress along the socialist road. The article examines the practical, economic elements of this transition, such as the development of Agricultural Producers Cooperatives, together with the political and ideological debates of the period. As Clegg writes in her conclusion, 

A careful handling of class relations allowed the people’s struggles against capitalism to unfold in sequenced steps, workers and peasants discussing and educating themselves as they engaged in policy implementation. Grassroots cadres, learning on the job, built broad support as the dynamics of class struggle exposed the inherent contradictions at each step. 

Leading Chinese scholars Cheng Enfu and Chen Jian, in the article “The significance of China’s fulfilment of its Second Centenary Goal by 2049,” explain and analyze the Communist Party of China’s “goal of building China into a modern socialist country that is prosperous, strong, democratic, culturally advanced, harmonious and beautiful by the centenary of the People’s Republic of China.”

The book also includes a short article by Roland Boer titled “China’s socialist democracy” which addresses the principle that “socialist democracy strengthens the leadership of the Communist Party, and the leadership of the Communist Party strengthens socialist democracy.” Boer is explaining a dialectical relationship at the core of the socialist system. “In other words, the leadership of the Communist Party ensures that the people are masters of the country, and the robust exercise of socialist democracy ensures that the Communist Party continues its role of legitimate leadership.”

J. Sykes, author of The Revolutionary Science of Marxism-Leninism, contributes the article “Mao, China, and the development of Marxism-Leninism.” In this article Sykes explains Mao’s contributions to Marxist theory. He breaks down Mao’s contributions to dialectical and historical materialism, revolutionary strategy, problems of socialist construction, and the defense of Marxism-Leninism against modern revisionism. While concisely explaining Mao’s contributions in each of these areas, Sykes makes the point that “Mao’s contributions to revolutionary theory are not limited to the Chinese context,” but are universal. “The theory-practice dialectic in fact goes both ways. By applying Marxism-Leninism to the concrete conditions of China, Marxism-Leninism itself was further developed and enriched.” 

In the article “Building socialism, building the ecological civilization,” Efe Can Gürcan explains how China is leading the way in environmental sustainability. This article does well to highlight how China is working to develop green technology in a world increasingly put at risk by the perils of climate change. 

Finally, the collection ends with an excellent article from Carlos Martinez: “How China survived the end of history.” Martinez examines how China survived the wave of counter-revolution that swept the socialist world between 1989 and 1991 to continue on the socialist road when so many other countries didn’t. 

Everyone interested in socialism should study the experience of China, and People’s China at 75: The Flag Stays Red stands out as an extraordinary collection of important writings on China's achievements, struggles, and contributions to the world revolutionary movement. 

Buy People’s China at 75: The Flag Stays Red at https://redletterspp.com/collections/current-titles/products/peoples-china-at-75

#RevolutionaryTheory #International #China