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Comment by ajb | Hacker News Reader

I'm not sure Google were wise to be all that public about this either. If China decides to bear a grudge, things could get very nasty for them.

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Google doesn't need China; even the Nexus One is made in Taiwan. Unlike most other large companies (and all governments), they're in an excellent position to call out the Chinese government.

  even the Nexus One is made in Taiwan

How long do you think Taiwan is going to last as an autonomous entity, now that it can no longer rely on the US for military support, because the US is in hock to the PRC?

This is even worse than your earlier point about Chinese dumping dollars. The PRC would barely be able to invade Taiwan right now even without US aid. Worse for your point is that the US could screw over the PRC without firing a shot simply by repudiating the debt the Chinese hold.

When you owe China $1 billion, you've got a problem. When you own China $684 billion, China has a problem.

The US was just as much in hock to the PRC in 1996, when Clinton decided to sail a few aircraft carriers through the Taiwan Straits. After that, the PRC lost their taste for attacking Taiwan.

The reintegration of Taiwan will happen through a political arrangement between the CPC and the KMT, not through war.

How long do you think Taiwan is going to last as an autonomous entity, now that it can no longer rely on the US for military support, because the US is in hock to the PRC?

The PRC owns many pieces of paper. Attacking Taiwan would be an excellent reason to repudiate the value of that paper.

That would be great - imagine if everyone worked like that. How would anyone ever collect on their loans? I owe you $50? Well, you hit my cousin the other day...

Learn more history.

So if history tells us that some countries have reneged on loans through war, that's what the operating manual says countries should do today?

Countries have been pillaging, raping and committing genocide for eons - that means this is how countries are expected to act now?

"If China decides to bear a grudge, things could get very nasty for them."

How? Once Google moves out of China what can the Chinese government do to them?

Attack them daily

That would be tantamount to a blockade of shipping lines, ie an act of war. They are certainly able to do it, but I don't think that right now they will.

Couldn't they just remove access to all Google sites from the entire Chinese IP range? That should help greatly.

How so?

'who will rid me of this turbulent priest?'

And how will China's "knights" deal with Google? Presumably it involves less swords than the assassination of Thomas Becket?

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