Chinese Want To Buy Big 3 Automakers

by moonwolf | November 20, 2008 at 03:49 pm

322 views | 20 Recommendations | 13 comments

Will the USA allow Chinese automakers to purchase, GM, Ford, and Chrysler or face the odious and widely unpopular alternative of handing over taxpayer dollars to bailout the failing manufacturers who have been hemorrhaging red ink for years, or watch them close down permanently?  It will be interesting to see since American corporations have spent trillions investing in Chinese businesses and the USA professes to be a free-market economy.

It appears that the Chinese car makers SAIC and Dongfeng have plans to acquire the Big 3:

"A take-over of a large overseas auto maker would fit perfectly into China's plans. As reported before, China has realized that its export chances are slim without unfettered access to foreign technology. The brand cachet of Chinese cars abroad is, shall we say, challenged. The Chinese could easily export Made-in-China VWs, Toyotas, Buicks. If their joint venture partner would let them. The solution: Buy the joint venture partner. Especially, when he's in deep trouble.

At current market valuations (GM is worth less than Mattel) the Chinese government can afford to buy GM with petty cash. Even a hundred billion $ would barely dent China's more than $2t in currency reserves. For nobody in the world would buying GM and (while they are at it) Chrysler make more sense than for the Chinese. Overlap? What overlap? They would gain instant access to the world's markets with accepted brands, and proven technology."

All the Shock Doctrine fanatics cheering to drive the the Big 3 into bankruptcy "restructuring" (like Mitt Romney, who can kiss future hopes of electoral victory in Michigan goodbye) might want to think about the implications of this.  

Of course the same legislators clamouring for bankruptcy could block the sale.  (This assumes they have the fortitude to stare down the Chinese, who currently hold a whopping portion of US debt, and deny them something they really want). But in doing so, and at the same time refusing a bridge loan to the automakers, they are basically legislating the destruction of the Big 3. They will be forcing them to stiff all their creditors and stockholders and tear up their union contracts by refusing to let the "free market" they love to bang on about step in and assume the company's legitimate debts. Or were all those insufferable lectures about "personal responsibility" when the bankruptcy bill was going through just so much claptrap?

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Rhonda J Mangus

Thanks for this story, moonwolf! For some reason, this really does not surprise me!

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moonwolf

The Chinese have the cash and the Big 3 need the cash.  Within the concept of Globalism its a no-brainer.  Save jobs, grow your business, and keep the market free rather than indulging in another socialistic bailout on the taxpayers dwindling dime which won't solve the Big 3's woes.  New owners who want to be profitable certainly would whip those twits into line!

If the US Administration truly believes in Globalism rather than just paying lip service to the notion when it is the USA that is doing the 'globalizing' then they must stay the heck out of this.


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Paschen

Great Post moonwolf. Thank you.

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moonwolf

Thanks Rhonda and Paschen.

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Rhonda J Mangus

You are very welcome, moonwolf.

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Emilio Lizardo

Sad ...

Total leadership failure ...

Maturity arrives when one realizes nobody is indispensible ...

Welcome to adulthood, Big Three ...

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Emilio Lizardo

这篇梅德韦杰夫授权本报中文首发的文章提到,新兴经济体承担着前所未有的责任,APEC成员国在很大程度上不得不背负“修补”全球经济危机的责任。

Can you actually read this stuff, Moonwolf ?

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moonwolf

Uh, no I can't. 

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djermano

China is not the one to fear....It is the American psychosis that needs to be feared. I say good going China....If they follow making new Cars that run on electric and flywheel storage, and not IC engine stuff that has bankrupted the big 3....I think they will go places.

Problem is how does this square with the refusal of America to sell one of its Oil Companies to China?

Ever since China National Offshore Oil Corp.'s (CNOOC) partly owned and Hong Kong-listed "subsidiary," CNOOC Ltd., made its $18 billion all-cash bid for Unocal, one of the United States' smallest integrated major oil companies (integrated means that it engages in all aspects of the oil and gas business, from exploration and production to transportation, refining, distribution and – finally – retail sales), bettering San Ramon-based Chevron's stock-and-cash bid by about $1.6 billion, the ground has been raked and watered and readied for battle.

http://www.lewrockwell.com/featherstone/featherstone32.html....

I say the Big Three won't sell...because of this.

Rev. Jermano

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moonwolf

You're probably right djermano!  Thanks!

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moonwolf

Thanks all!

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sara star

Bailing out the auto industry will not work. Hurrah for China!

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gerrypopplestone

This could be a very neat solution.  But the Chinesc would need to sack the incompetent managements of all three!

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November 20, 2008 at 03:49 pm by moonwolf, 322 views, 13 comments

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