Wal-Mart's Marriage to China as Strong as Ever

The Washington Post ^ | 2/25/08 | AP

[outfield]

BEIJING -- Wal-Mart Stores Inc., a major buyer of Chinese-made shoes, toys and other goods, expects procurement in China to hold steady this year at about $9 billion despite a rising exchange rate and product safety concerns, the retailing giant's vice chairman Michael Duke said Monday.

"I wouldn't see any major variation" in procurement from the 2007 total of $9 billion, Duke told reporters. "China will continue to be a major production portion of direct purchases by Wal-Mart for a long time."

Duke said relations with the communist government are good despite a high-profile campaign to form unions at Wal-Mart stores and complaints by foreign business groups that Beijing is trying to support Chinese companies by hampering foreign investment in some industries.

[outfield]

Wal-Mart seems to have an awfully cozy relationship with the communist China regime, and that makes me wonder whether I should be supporting Wal-Mart.

I think Duncan Hunter said it best when he explained, "Americans start a football game with a clean scoreboard. But China starts a game against our businesses with a 74-point advantage. They give a 17% subsidy to their guys; they penalize our guys 17%; and they devalue their currency by 40%. That's cheating, and China is buying ships, planes and missiles with American trade dollars."

[luckystarmom]

I try not to buy things made in China at Walmart.

If I get anything there, it’s brand names of items made in the USA.

[Mr. Jeeves]

Marriage? Wal-Mart is merely China’s American outlet store. ;)

[WayneS]

So, more like their concubine than their partner, right?

[Red Badger]

Til death do we part.................

[NeverForgetBataan]

If I was living in Taiwan, I would be planning to move elsewhere with the prospect of Obama as President. It's doubtful that he would commit an American Carrier Battlegroup to the defense of Taiwan. Walmart would be well advised to make alternate plans on sourcing their goods, because when the Taiwan-China baloon goes up, you won't be getting anything from anywhere in asia , muchless China.

[Red Badger]

Wal-Mart is the Pimp, we are the johns......

[-YYZ-]

What’s the alternative, for a lot of things? Pay 4 or 5 times (or more) as much for some high-end “boutique” brand? May be worth it in some cases, but not everyone can afford to do that. And since Wal-Mart, primarily, but many others, too, have been pressuring manufacturers for lower and lower prices, so much manufacturing has moved to China, to the point where it’s hard to find many items produced anywhere else. And the moderately-priced, middle-quality segment of the market (often produced in the US) for many items has been destroyed altogether.

[Gabz]

WalMart Ping........

[steve86]

makes me wonder whether I should be supporting Wal-Mart.

I know damn well I shouldn't be supporting them but with little income I have no real choice. Anyway, if you go elsewhere you just buy the same Chinese stuff at lower prices.

[steve86]

Meant “at higher prices”, of course.

[WayneS]

Wait a minute, I thought China was the Pimp and we were the johns.

And that would make WalMart the...

[Scythian]

Walmarts stuff is infested with parasites, that is true.

[TChris]

Gaaaaaaahhhhh! Free trade will kill us all! Run for the hills!

* yawn *

[outfield]

TChris — don’t get me wrong, I’m all for free trade. But Wal-Mart is America’s No. 1 retailer and finances China’s arms buildup.

[WayneS]

You are correct. In addition, the high end “boutique” brands are ALSO now made in China. Most of the “name brand” manufacturers whose names used to virtually guarantee a high quality product have “whored” their brands out to cheap Chinese manufacturing plants.

The end result is that the “name” brands cost 2-5 times as much money but are most likely still made in the same factory (or in one next door) as the cheap “knock-off” brands.

At least all Ruger and (I think) Smith & Wesson firearms are still proudly made in the USA.

[bert]

Perhaps you should revise your thinking.

Walmart has commercial, that is business relations with Chinese companies that are largely capitalist in nature. They are Chicaps.

You are considering chewing off your nose to spite you face

[TChris]

TChris — don’t get me wrong, I’m all for free trade. But Wal-Mart is America’s No. 1 retailer and finances China’s arms buildup.

So, it would seem that you're a little less than "all for" free trade. Maybe "all for" free trade with non-Communist partners?

Also, exactly what objectively hostile intent has China displayed toward the US? ...besides assumptions due to their Communist government?

[steve86]

Walmart has commercial, that is business relations with Chinese companies that are largely capitalist in nature. They are Chicaps.

So as long as you label the transactions "capitalist", any kind of trade activity that benefits a Communist enemy is A-OK?

[em2vn]

Your choice is to be concerned about your freedom and the freedom of this nation more than your pocketbook. If those bastards in Bentonville want to actively support communism let them but you don’t have.