More sensible advice for Mr Abbott from Ian Porter at the Age Market Porkies. My favourite quotes are:
"Under a free trade agreement (FTA) with China, Australian companies would have to face competition from government-owned enterprises, with all that entails in terms of subsidies and the ability to operate at sub-economic prices for long periods, long enough to drive the opposition out of business." That's assuming we don't just sell everything in Australia to Japan and Chine outright.
"The lack of effective trade unions or company unions means that all Chinese goods are unfairly priced, because the labour that goes into them is unfairly priced." Perhaps Mr A believes this is how things should be in Oz?
"Trade unions are banned in China. Yes, there is an official "trade union" run by Beijing, but there are no freely organised, independent unions that are allowed to stand up against enterprises and agitate for a fair share of the earnings. That's why 14 Foxconn employees had to resort to suicide in 2010 to make their point about unfair wages and conditions. The company's profit margins were so huge that Foxconn - contract manufacturer for Apple, Dell, Sony and Nokia, among others - was magically able to offer a 66 per cent pay rise, although there were conditions attached." Makes you feel good to be a consumer, doesn't it?
"As for (Japan being) a pluralist democracy, it is true that the Liberal Democratic Party did lose office in 2009 after almost 54 continuous years in power." 'Twould make Menzies and Howard proud.
"... the Japanese government has been manipulating its currency for decades, just like the communists across the East China Sea, if not in the same heavy-handed way."
"Japan does have a market economy, but you will find it much easier to find a distributor and a retailer for your product if you are a Japanese manufacturer." Not racism (on the part of the author), simple fact borne out by years of disappointment - see the sad story of Australian rice.
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