America's Future Update on China

Update on China's Auto Industry

Communist China is projected this year to become the world's largest car producer. The U.S. auto industry is crumbling, but the auto world is buzzing that China's auto industry is picking up the pieces of Detroit at bargain prices. China has been known as a copycat manufacturer, lacking technological know-how, systems integration, and design capabilities, even though China has world-class manufacturing capabilities. Buying up brands such as Hummer or Saturn could supply Chinese automakers with the technological expertise to help them jump past competitors.  Washington Post, 5-18-09

General Motors will soon become the first automaker to import Chinese-built cars into the United States. China is planning to market made-in-China cars to American consumers as early as 2011. GM plans to sell nearly 18,000 Chinese-made vehicles in the U.S. in 2011, with that number rising to 50,000 by 2014. General Motors currently imports the Chevrolet Aveo and Pontiac G3 from South Korea, and several other models from Canada, Mexico and Europe.  Fox News.com, 5-12-09

Update on China's Espionage

A civilian employee of the Defense Dept. was arrested May 13 on espionage charges that he sold classified information and passed other sensitive documents to a Communist Chinese spy who had been convicted of compromising another Pentagon employee. James Wilbur Fondren Jr. was charged with conspiracy to communicate classified information to an agent of a foreign government. Fondren is the second Pacific Command China affairs specialist to be linked to passing classified data to China.

Ronald Montaperto, a former Defense Intelligence Agency official, pleaded guilty in 2006 to unlawful retention of classified information. In meetings with federal agents, he admitted he passed highly classified information to Chinese military intelligence. "China continues to be an aggressive threat," said Rep. Peter Hoekstra (R-MI), ranking member of the House Intelligence Committee.

A scam artist, who Secretary of State Hillary Clinton once remarked would "single- handedly" bring her the nomination for president, was convicted May 19 of making thousands of dollars in illegal campaign contributions to prominent Democrats. Norman Hsu pleaded guilty to using a Ponzi scheme to bilk investors of $20 million. He faces decades in prison.  Washington Times, 5-25-09

Update on China's Role In the World

Communist China is boosting the size and sophistication of its naval power, according to the head of the Chinese navy Admiral Wu Shengli. He said naval preparedness is a priority. Last month, China increased its naval patrols in disputed waters in the South China Sea, supposedly to protect against illegal fishing and other countries' "unfounded territorial claims" in oil-rich waters. Admiral Wu also said China will focus on speeding up the development of large warships, which is a further hint that China will soon be getting its first aircraft carrier. This year, China carried out its first major overseas naval operation by deploying ships off the coast of Somalia for anti-piracy duties.  BBC News, 4-17-09

China has 32 million more young men than young women. This remarkable gender gap was caused by China's strict birth limits about children, which results in abortions of female fetuses. This could trigger a slew of social problems, including crime by young men unable to find female partners. It could even induce China to go to war.  Associated Press, 4-10-09