Chinese firm in $4.7bn takeover of US pork giant Smithfield Foods

guardian.co.uk ^ | Wednesday 29 May 2013 11.42 EDT | Dominic Rushe in New York

[DannyTN]

"We don’t have free trade with China, and it’s probably been pointed-out to you more than a dozen times."

What we have is about as close as it gets from our side. They have most favored nation status. And tariffs are low.

[1rudeboy]

No, not really. China pays the same tariffs as, say, Germany. That’s all MFN means.

[expat_panama]

...we have free trade with China when they are a closed market...

Of course at first glance we all know this is impossible, that free trade ≠ closed market. 

Looking deeper I'd have thought you'd wanted the Chinese to buy more US stuff --I know I do-- and this article is about the Chinese buying US stuff.  Even so you sound like you object for some reason. Please say what the heck it is that you do want and just how you intend to bring it about.

[stephenjohnbanker]

” Why do we have free trade with China when they are a closed market and they have to own the firms before they have access to the Chinese market? “

How bout that....

[fella]

What a brite idea. Let's give a nation at war with us since 1950 (Korea) control of a large chunk of our food industry. After they have just gained the designs of all of our major weapon systems what could possibly go wrong and “At this time, what difference does it make?”?

[1rudeboy]

I need to put this here in case I need to come back to it:

The United States has free trade agreements in force with 20 countries. These are:

• Australia
• Bahrain
• Canada
• Chile
• Colombia
• Costa Rica
• Dominican Republic
• El Salvador
• Guatemala
• Honduras
• Israel
• Jordan
• Korea
• Mexico
• Morocco
• Nicaragua
• Oman
• Panama
• Peru
• Singapore

[DannyTN]

"Looking deeper I'd have thought you'd wanted the Chinese to buy more US stuff --I know I do--"

This article is about China buying another plant to shut down and move the China to employ chinese while more Americans join the unemployment line.

[DannyTN]

"Looking deeper I'd have thought you'd wanted the Chinese to buy more US stuff --I know I do--"

This article is about China buying another plant to shut down and move the China to employ chinese while more Americans join the unemployment line.

[goodwithagun]

Smithfield Foods Inc. has a very nasty habit of hiring illegal immigrants. They’ve had many ICE raids. This company isn’t the greatest to begin with. I’ll just continue to make my meat and egg purchases from my local farmer.

[dfwgator]

[JoeProBono]

[Ouderkirk]

Smithfield Virginia

[SeminoleCounty]

Only the most liberal statist Free Trade Communist would cheer for this

Smithfield is a southern tradition. To be owned by the Communist Chinese amounts to treason. Dare some Free Trader to go down and cheerlead about how ChiComs owning Smithfield is good.....there will be some rope burns around the neck

[SeminoleCounty]

Smithfield, VA ....near Hampton Roads....where Smithfield is HQ

[SeminoleCounty]

Ni hao, Chairman Mao

We have Most Favored Nation status for Communist China....which pretty much is Free Trade with Communist China. World Trade Organization decisions reflect this

[1rudeboy]

And greetings to you. “Pretty much is” is a term that morons use, often.

[1rudeboy]

[dennisw]

We don’t have free trade with China, and it’s probably been pointed-out to you more than a dozen times. 

We have very free trade with China, this is how we run up such huge trade deficits with them. We are wide open to Chinese imports same as we are wide open to illegal immigration

[1rudeboy]

You forgot the budget deficit. “Free trade” with China is why we have a budget deficit. LOL

[EDINVA]

A Chinese conglomerate that close to Norfolk does give me pause.