China Gains Key Assets In Spate of Purchases. Oil, Minerals Are Among Acquisitions Worldwide

[G_j]

Source: Washington Post

China Gains Key Assets In Spate of Purchases
Oil, Minerals Are Among Acquisitions Worldwide

By Ariana Eunjung Cha
Washington Post Foreign Service
Tuesday, March 17, 2009; Page A01

SHANGHAI -- Chinese companies have been on a shopping spree in the past month, snapping up tens of billions of dollars' worth of key assets in Iran, Brazil, Russia, Venezuela, Australia and France in a global fire sale set off by the financial crisis.

The deals have allowed China to lock up supplies of oil, minerals, metals and other strategic natural resources it needs to continue to fuel its growth. The sheer scope of the agreements marks a shift in global finance, roiling energy markets and feeding worries about the future availability and prices of those commodities in other countries that compete for them, including the United States.

Just a few months ago, many countries were greeting such overtures from China with suspicion. Today, as corporations and banks in other parts of the world find themselves reluctant or unable to give out money to distressed companies, cash-rich China has become a major force driving new lending and investment.

Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/03/16/AR2009031603293.html?wprss=rss_world

[truthisfreedom]

1. Well, at least someone is reaping benefits from this crisis.

Although knowing it's China gives me the willies.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

2. the Dragon awakes

[gtar100]

3. A few ugly Americans sold it off, sold us out. Now the Chinese are taking over

Do you think the corporate raiders and the folks with the off-shore accounts really even considered the consequences as they sold off what in reality did not belong to them?

[radhika]

4. When You Got Money, You Shop!

I have only the faintest memory of those days, personally.

[ConcernedCanuk]

5. And the USA is putting trillions into a floundering War-Machine and Wall Street

.
.
.

China gonna win a war without firing a shot???

Looks like . . .

hmmm

[Alhena]

6. Gee, why doesn't China just buy more of our worthless promises?

They are acting like they want real value for their money- what's wrong with these guys?

[napoleon_in_rags]

9. hehehe. nt

[tomm2thumbs]

7. Lincoln said it best....

At what point shall we expect the approach of danger? By what means shall we fortify against it?-- Shall we expect some transatlantic military giant, to step the Ocean, and crush us at a blow?

Never!--

All the armies of Europe, Asia and Africa combined, with all the treasure of the earth (our own excepted) in their military chest; with a Buonaparte for a commander, could not by force, take a drink from the Ohio, or make a track on the Blue Ridge, in a trial of a thousand years.

At what point then is the approach of danger to be expected?

I answer, if it ever reach us, it must spring up amongst us. It cannot come from abroad.
If destruction be our lot, we must ourselves be its author and finisher.

[Triana]

8. Someone told me they're buying up foreclosed properties in the US too

dunno how true that is.

[G_j]

10. Chinese Foreclosure Tourists Shopping In U.S.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=101024305

Chinese Foreclosure Tourists Shopping In U.S.

by Anthony Kuhn

Listen Now <4 min 46 sec> add to playlist
Morning Edition, February 23, 2009 · A new kind of tourist package is being offered in China. Call it the "U.S. Real Estate Bottom-Fishing Tour." The first of 40 Chinese real estate shoppers are looking in the U.S. this week to buy for foreclosure properties and other housing barg

[Thothmes]

11. If I remember correctly, the Japanese did exactly the

same thing during the late 70s and 80s.