Boston's MBTA has been having trouble getting the commuter rail cars it ordered from a CRRC plant in Springfield, MA, and the ones it gets have problems. Backtracking a bit, CRCC is a Bejing, China, state-controlled company with a history of underbidding projects and then not delivering. Back in the 2014-2016 time frame, Governor Deval Patrick cut a deal with CRCC thinking he'd save a lot of money on MBTA cars while simultaneously creating a rail car industry in Massachusetts. Cadillac Deval isn't looking so smart these days. From The Alliance For American Manufacturing Remember the CRRC Boston Rail Car Project? It’s Shaping Up to be Quite the Boondoggle.There were big concerns raised when Massachusetts officials picked a Chinese state-owned company to build new rail cars. Now it appears the project has gone completely off the rails. [snip]Boston Globe columnist Joan Vennochi obtained a copy of a letter sent from MBTA Deputy Director Mark DeVitto to CRRC MA Corporation Project Director Xianyi Jiang on Dec. 22 outlining 16 “significant lapses in overall quality management for the Red and Orange Line project,” including everything from “chronic workmanship quality issues with electrical assembly work, wire crimping, wire terminations” to “failure to respond to many letters from MBTA for quality related issues/concerns.” [snip]In 2016, new Gov. Charlie Baker expanded the contract with CRRC, ordering an additional 120 rail cars, and in 2018, the first rail cars for the T were unveiled to a whole lot of fanfare. To top it off, it seems CRRC isn't making the cars here in the U.S. Rather, it seems to be shipping the cars here for final assembly and doing a bad job at that given all the quality problems. What is it with these 'crap for brains' liberal governors and mayors? I ask, noting the Republican Baker seemed every bit the liberal swamp critter. As I recall, Baker ran on a platform plank of fixing the MBTA. He failed miserably at that.
Who with brains would deal with China? There must be kickbacks involved in there somehow. He should just ask Hunter Biden and his dad how to deal with them.
China must laugh all the way to the bank. They are certainly capable of quality manufacturing but when you go to them because they can build it cheaper than anyone else then cheap is exactly what you’re going to get. On top of that, probably a lot of these things got bid when prices for steel, etc. were not astronomical. Now, it’s not surprising companies are walking away. The drag racing site I frequent, a lot of those guys are fabricators and the stories they tell about cost of materials are ridiculous. A few of them just gave up and shut down.
…and speaking of doing business with China, just saw this. “"It's just amazing. They're putting all kinds of barriers," he said. "They don't say, 'No, you can't get your money out,' but they say, 'Give us all the records from 20 years of how you've made this money,' and so forth. It's crazy."” https://markets.businessinsider.com...ting-outflows-markets-strategy-jinping-2023-3
I suspect there is a threat that they will nationalize all the investment in China should the U.S. try to tighten the screws on them as Biden is threatening. That wouldn't sit well with his Big Tech backers.
It seems the billionaire investor has something in common with a lot of politicians - stupidly getting taken to the cleaners by a dictator.country.
Along that line of thought, there's a related article in American Thinker entitled China becomes a roach motel for foreign investors. It seems communist China is increasingly moving to take over companies and industries and keep its citizens and others from withdrawing money from its regional and central banks.
China had a period when no one could withdraw money from their accounts, at least in large amounts. I don't know if that is still going on, but it was to prevent a total collapse of their real estate market. I have heard sporadic reports of that happening here, but it is not yet nationwide and seem to be taking place in isolated places across the country.
I heard a really funny (to me) story yesterday. We were talking about Chinese manufacturing capabilities and a bit on the way they do things. Anyway, this guy had a small, vintage rifle scope from one of the world wars. They wanted to create some special gifts for a decent size groups of survivors so they approached a Chinese manufacturer. They gave them the sample scope and told them the reason they wanted them made. They said they wanted an exact replica of the sample. Cut to delivery time, the shipment arrives and they are perfect alright, right down to every little scratch in the finish and dent in the metal. Be careful what you ask for!
Reminds me of an American business hiring a foreign construction firm to install a computer room with a 2 foot raised floor (you know, the rooms with the ventilation systems in the 2' space underneath the flooring where the mainframes sit.) Well, they got their 2' raised floor...it was 24" of poured concrete. Regarding China: "trade" can be a great diplomatic and strategic tool. But those negotiating on your behalf must be ethical agents, not corrupt opportunists. And you must speak with one voice, not have every senator and governor cutting their own deals for their own corrupt purposes.
Interesting video about what goes on in China in pursuit of “green” products. Make sure you watch until they show the mountains of scrapped bicycles! What a travesty. From 1:23 - 3:00 is an ad on a brand of wallet so you can just skip that.
After Biden came out with his plan to make us all drive EVs, he then put a 20 year moratorium on lithium mining in the United States. Gee, I wonder where all our money will go for those batteries?
Re. cost of materials mentioned here, this guy in another forum does concrete work. Look at this pic and his caption to it, just for the rebar.