Will You Be Trying to Boycott Chinese Products?

Hey All

With the diplomatic row between Aus and China over the last few weeks culminating in the tweets from the Chinese embassy, there’s been an obvious rising of tensions between the countries.

Given how ridiculous and ironic china’s position is, to have the gall to call out Australia for human rights abuses do you feel more strongly about trying to avoid products manufactured in China?

The report itself was Australia holding itself to account, it could have easily been covered up never to see the light of day but Australia relative to the rest of the world is one with more integrity than that.

I don’t see how China could ever lecture a country like Australia when it comes to war crimes/human rights abuse given their long track record, most notably the persecution of the Uighur population as well numerous other violations ranging from censorship to imprisonment/torture of dissidents. I don’t see China holding itself to account for those crimes anytime soon.

I like the idea in theory of boycotting Chinese made products but the reality is unfortunately from my perspective is that the supply chain is far too integrated in China to be able to boycott anything. Hopefully western businesses are more incentivised now to move their supply chains away from China but that will a long and slow process over many years possibly decades.

So TLDR will you be trying to avoid Chinese made products or are we in a situation that these products are so pervasive with our current lifestyles there’s nothing we can really do at the moment.

Edit: Poll added. Good suggestion.

Poll Options

  • 839
    Yes I will and do avoid Chinese made products wherever I can
  • 34
    Yes but only if the equivalent product is the same price and quality
  • 333
    Would like to avoid but can’t because of limited choice/availability/price
  • 239
    Don’t care whatever’s cheapest
  • 133
    Don’t care at all and would still buy Chinese made even if there was a choice of equivalent produc

Comments

      • +12

        Who is selling all those lands and business in the first place? Ports and other infrastructures? Gas pipelines and almost most of the Distribution energy sectors was sold nd approved by the same people who are now crying patriots. Spare me the emotion you are like one of those who would watch a 2-3 minute highlight of a game and pretend you watched the whole game. tomorrow when everything calms down and they sell the rest of the ports or even our dams you would be more worried about the next sale in here. Let us get spanked and know our place so we can move forward.

        • What a load of nonsense.

          There is a difference between selling something voluntarily on the open market and being dictated to by a Foreign power that you must sell whatever it demands.

          • +10

            @DeeTrance: You mean like when america demands something or apply sanctions to most third world countries? so who is dictating what here exactly? i have never seen in an open market where a seller is dictating the buyer to buy. If we are not happy with the sell then say no so china can go to Brazil or other markets to replace our goods, Do not cry about bad decision you have made and cover it up under "National Thing" to disguise how you stuffed up from the start.

      • +5

        Hi Dee,

        You seem to be a nine.com.au / a current affair / news.com.au - popularised headline clickbait news channel fan.

        Just FYI

        25% of foreign investment is from the US
        18% from the UK
        2% from China.

        https://www.dfat.gov.au/trade/resources/investment-statistic…

        Of our largest companies in Australia, 80% are majority owned by the US.

        We definitely do sell out, just not to whom you think we sell out to, as it's much tastier to report on selling out to the evil communists.

        They say the best trick the devil ever made was to convince man he doesn't exist.

    • +1

      So you don’t care whether the products you buy come from forced labour camps, as long as it’s cheap? And I don’t mean sweat shops where the workers get paid barely enough to get by, they at least have a choice to quit. I’m talking about factories with workers that don’t the have ability to leave even if they wanted to.

      Australia should just bend the knee? It’s ok for China to put out outrages and hypocritical material and not be called out for it?

      • +4

        You live in the ACT right? your gas and electricity network is owned by Chinese so i want you to lead please so start by not using Gas or electricity as they have bought these companies using " forced labour camps", Shut off your gas and electricity call your retailer and tell them to disconnect and get a generator and LPG bottles instead.

          1. My point has always been the supply chain has been far too integrated with China to boycott anything of substance.

          2. At least by showing discontent for businesses/government bodies relying on China or showing support for business that do not use Chinese supply lines incentivises more organisations private and government to avoid or move away from China.

          3. What do you mean knowing our place? We should let China demand whatever it wants? We shouldn’t stand up to bullying.

          4. How does a gas line have anything do with forced labour camps? Does the same company own/hire those forced labour camps as well as own the gas lines?

          5. So you actually don’t give a rats about forced labour? You don’t think twice about the products you buy and what you might be supporting?
            https://www.business-humanrights.org/en/latest-news/china-83…

          • +9

            @maxyzee: 1) Too late for that to reverse now, it has been decades in the making, You want to risk almost $300 Billions of Trade because you want to feel better then That is your choice.

            2) Again Majority of products and services in Australia is linked/made/owned by the Chinese now. I might have been outraged 15 Years ago but it seems like you just coming around it now. Don't worry you will get over it by Christmas when the media will bury the story and you will be lining up for Chinese related products like everyone else.

            3) Then we shouldn't stand it for it, take actions refuse to sell, put tariff on their products, Ban imports to them, Kick their Ambassador out but do not hype up fake nationalistic sentiment for political reasons. What actions have the big mouths in Canberra done so far?

            4) The same company paid Billions made by "forced labour" to buy a company you are using and paying them to profit, or you do not see the comparability here. Or maybe its gone too far for your convenience.

            5) I do care about forced Labour and how its used for the wrong reasons, But hypocrit i am not. If we really want to put our moral compass on then we will be Riding a horse to work and mostly working in very few business that doesn't have a link with Dictators from rich middle countries killing their own citizens for funall the way to China. But lets just focus on China right now because The muppets from canberra tell us to do and forget about the other years china was a good partner or the disgrace those morons put us into from the defense force.

            • @DollaNsense: 1) How is it too late? Why can’t we get the ball rolling? The COVID-19 pandemic has given some businesses a wake up call on their reliance on China. And whether it was because of that or Trump’s tariffs or both there’s already some beginning of shifting of the manufacturing at least to other surrounding countries. Foxconn is setting up a new plant in India and Microsoft is considering getting more supplies from Vietnam. Whether other smaller businesses have the capital to be pull off such a move is another story but there is some shift.

              2) You make an assumption I’m only coming around to it now? I took this as an opportunity while it was fresh in the mindset and get more responses given the recent media coverage. If you don’t know I was actually born in China and have/had relatives in those internment camps.

              3) That’s right we shouldn’t stand for it and we should demand our representatives come up with ideas on how to move forward with our interests in mind as well at least attempting to hold some accountability on China. There’s no easy answer, never said their was but there needs to be something.

              4) So your talking about the State grid corporation of China. By being state owned company therefore a connection to forced labour camps because the Chinese state owns other companies that own those labour camps?

              5) So everything is bad so why even bother? Just because I raise a discussion about the ethics/morals of our consumerism on Chinese products after the PM demands an apology I’m just a shill the muppets in Canberra?

              • @maxyzee: Um just FYI, big multinational companies are going to India and Vietnam, because the wages there are 500% CHEAPER than in China now.

                China is now very expensive.Many manufacturers are moving out due to rising rent and wages costs as the average citizen is now wealthier and no longer wants to make our shit for us.

                It is now time to extort other third worlds countries who have extremely low labour costs until someone calls out slavery and poor working conditions.

                • @CalmLemons: Yeah that’s the unfortunate reality. The cost of manufacturing would be far too high to produce in Australia for anything to be competitive in the current market.

                  When majority of Australians can’t afford not to buy from China yeah there won’t be any meaningful change in the short term to medium term.

                  Now when it comes to exploitation yes unchecked capitalism has driven that but there needs to be thinking on how to transition away from that. This will be a massive undertaking and has to be driven by very thought through policy to get the balance just right when it comes to incentives and regulation. But that also means putting the right people in power to first think of and then enact such policies. Still waiting on that front unfortunately.

          • @maxyzee: yank report paid for in yank dollars like all modern so called australian policies - ASPI is effectively American.

        • Nice deflection there buddy, how about answering the question?

      • +1

        yank companies routinely exploit child slave labor - have done for decades - hypocrisy will soon have an A added to it as a national past time… hypocrites in sport, hypocrites in pretty near everything these days…

      • what forced labor camps? trotting out yank propaganda and fox news garbage makes Australia look so stupid.

  • +3

    There is no honour or pride in foreign relations, it's all just about power. Military power or economic power. China is just talking tough, they won't actually do anything when the US could literally level them at a moment's notice. FWIW, I think the less we care and hear about China, the better. If they want to sell cheap stuff, I'm happy to buy it, but their internal politics are a matter for the Chinese people.

    • +2

      Biden has won and if China decides to screw us economically the US will happily let them do it. We are on our own here now.

      If we give China anything to yank us around with they will because they're an authoritarian nation that is obsessed with displays of force. They will always be looking to treat us like a vassal state, and always interfering in trade and commerce. The way you deal with that is you cut off all critical trade. That way when they want to act like the insecure bullies they are you can just say "Okay, get back to us when you've finished behaving like children" and ignore them without substantive economic impact.

      China is a dead end for us. They look like a good economic prospect, but if they cannot be relied on to act in good faith then that's nothing more than an illusion.

      • +5

        nice spin - substitute america for china in everything you wrote - welcome to the real world - the yanks are the biggest backstabbers ever.

        Killing the kurds was lower than any reptile….

      • Biden has won and if China decides to screw us economically the US will happily let them do it. We are on our own here now.

        Then we ought to diversify who we sell to so that other countries can't screw us. This isn't a defence of China, it's just smart economics. You can't please everyone and no matter who you sell to, there's always the chance they'll turn on you. The smart thing to do is diversify both your assets and liabilities (this is basic economics, really).

        If we give China anything to yank us around with they will because they're an authoritarian nation that is obsessed with displays of force. They will always be looking to treat us like a vassal state, and always interfering in trade and commerce. The way you deal with that is you cut off all critical trade. That way when they want to act like the insecure bullies they are you can just say "Okay, get back to us when you've finished behaving like children" and ignore them without substantive economic impact.

        Who cares about China? I have no idea why China is always in the news, it's just playing into their hands. The more air time they get, the more ridiculous they'll become because they want attention. It's best to keep relationships with China to economic and not play stupid games. They want to sell cheap stuff to us? Great - that's win-win. They want to buy from us? Great - that's win-win as well.

        As I said before, internal Chinese politics are not our concern. If they treat their own people like shit, then it's up to the Chinese people to stand up and revolt. The more we get involved with China, the more we play into their hands and make this all a political game. Starve them of any attention and keep relationships economic.

        China is a dead end for us. They look like a good economic prospect, but if they cannot be relied on to act in good faith then that's nothing more than an illusion.

        Nobody acts in good faith. Assume everyone acts in their best interest.

        Basically, I only see two possibilities. 1) We just ignore China and keep it to trade relationship and stop this nonsense sabre-rattling, or 2) We form some coalition with other nations who are sick of China and we actively overthrow (by economic power or by force) the Chinese government and support a democratic government which will make China more like Taiwan, Hong Kong or Singapore. I don't really see any path in between. We can play the current games all we want, but what will we achieve?

        The current back-and-forth is just nonsense. We're wasting our time and will just be back where we started in a few months.

    • +1

      the US could literally level them at a moment's notice

      Y-you realise that China has nukes aswell, right?

  • -1

    No

  • -7

    Well aussie soliders did ACTUALLY murder innocent civilians and disguise their corpses to cover up their atrocities.

    +1 for china calling it out.

    If auslandian soliders want to play war with the big boys, gotta play by big boy rules.

    China has its issues but doesnt parade itself around as 'holier than thou', much like auslandia

    • +7

      China has its issues but doesnt parade itself around as 'holier than thou', much like auslandia

      They don't have any issues according to their press.

      They don't parade around as "holier than thou". They parade itself as above it all. Above reproach. Above accountability.

      • +1

        Except China has a billion citizens and thousands of years worth of history.

        • +3

          What does that have to do with the CCP censoring the media and violently suppressing dissidents?

          Besides, China may have thousands of years worth of history. The CCP has 99 years of history.

          • -1

            @[Deactivated]:

            What does that have to do with the CCP censoring the media and violently suppressing dissidents?

            Dramatized

            Besides, China may have thousands of years worth of history. The CCP has 99 years of history.

            Theyre doing their best, thousands of years and a billion+ hungry citizens is a tricky thing to manage

            Whereas australia, even with the best available western technology and resources, no real hardships, still manages to machine gun to death 3rd world farmers with no formal education. Oh and then stage a coverup so they dont rot in prison for the remainder of their crappy lives.

            Love this country.

            • +3

              @[Deactivated]:

              Theyre doing their best, thousands of years and a billion+ hungry citizens is a tricky thing to manage

              They weren't hungry the entire duration, and if size or population is an issue, why are they trying to annex more land and people?

              Whereas australia, even with the best available western technology and resources, no real hardships, still manages to machine gun to death 3rd world farmers with no formal education. Oh and then stage a coverup so they dont rot in prison for the remainder of their crappy lives.

              Love this country.

              Why not leave instead of being an ungrateful little…

              • -1

                @[Deactivated]:

                Why not leave instead of being an ungrateful little…

                Yup just that easy.

                Stuck on this floating convict island for the foreseeable future

      • +1

        your opinion is all - now where was our prime minister during the hellfires? yank holiday?

        robodeath for the weakest and poorest…. overturned banking royal commission….who really runs this country in your opinion cuz it ain't China - Oz is nearly bankrupt and months of deliberately abusing and provoking its biggest trading partner was good for who exactly?

        • -1

          your opinion is all - now where was our prime minister during the hellfires? yank holiday?

          Exactly. He wasn't needed (both technically and practically) and the state government (more like the fire department within the state) handled it.

          Now ask, why did the fires start in the first place? Reduced burn off due to increased government legislation.

          robodeath for the weakest and poorest….

          And who is the perpetrator of said robodebt? Government.

          My opinion is to reduce government involvement. Would have solved both issues above.

          Oz is nearly bankrupt and months of deliberately abusing and provoking its biggest trading partner was good for who exactly?

          We are "nearly bankrupt" because of the virus that our biggest trading partner failed to contain.

          • +2

            @[Deactivated]: 'Reduced burn off due to increased government legislation' - fake news

            you love fake news - no global warming heh?

            all those dead aussie soldier witnesses to sas murders - just like Pell- drag it out till the real victims are dead and can't testify… grind em down over time - so modern soulless aussie…

    • Those pesky soliders mocking us for being comprised of 60% liquid!

  • +9

    Had Morrison not pushed Australian/Chinese diplomacy to the very edge and actually managed international affairs like a true statesman then none of this would have happened because we would have space for some leverage or respite.

    But instead citizens are being activated and asked to compromise their livelihoods and opportunities all because bad man China threatens our 'values"….whatever that means.

    This is insanity. And to think all of this happened, not because of the will of the people, but because of party policy. There is no Australian 'Values" here.

    • +9

      Disagree. We pander way too much to China, they've become accustomed to having things their own way for far too long.

      By China I specifically mean the CCP, I hope the world takes a stand. The handing of the COVID outbreak at the hands of the CCP has thrown the world into chaos and due to their power there has been no reprimands.

      This coming from a business owner with all my products being made in China.

      • The point plmko was making would be, we could have chosen our words more wisely, as our actions are the same.

        Because we had a poor choice of words, the result was significantly different.

        Kevin Rudd could tell the Chinese to fk off yet had enough understanding of their culture, spun out a few words of mandarin and they still left the meeting smiling.

        There does need to be a stand against the CCP, but preferably one in which us, Australia, doesn't need to be the only one to bear the price.

    • Kowtow to the COMMIES.
      Yeah that's standing up for what we believe.

    • +2

      yank business runs this now pathetic country where truth ain't worth a dime - just like the states.

      • Better than chinese officials stupid and despicable enough to circulate photoshopped images.

        • yeah just overthrow democratically elected governments and cause the death of tens of thousands endlessly instead of a rather accurate picture…

  • +7

    I have an Australian business with all products made in China. There are many Australian businesses like myself…so you'll be boycotting us too.

    I though am very much looking to take my business elsewhere, do not want to support the CCP regime. However moving manufacturing to another country takes months if not years to fully transition over.

    • +2

      I can see how a boycott would be your financial problem, but I fail to see how it would be mine.

      You've been told to get out of China by consumers now, and even before that China told you to get out when they started to interfere with shipping as part of their covid economic warfare. You've had over a year to think about transitioning your business to a more diversified and ethical base and you haven't. Tell me why you should be getting my money again?

      Do you want a business or not? I can guarantee you someone else won't be making excuses about how it's all too hard and they'll be the ones getting the sales, not you. Figure it out already.

      • +2

        LoL…ah the employee mindset. You're probably a union member too right? Lucky you're living in Australia, won't be so easy for you outside of your bubble.

        Look forward to boycotting pretty much every consumer good…LoL

        • -1

          Hard to boycott China, not difficult to boycott you. Much like your employees, I don't specifically need you, just what you can give me. I can get that elsewhere. By the same token, the indifference generally cuts both ways. You only want money, and it doesn't matter where it comes from. It is just business most of the time (everyone has their favourites. You can't help being human. Also doing double Pareto culls of clients is financially smart as well as being a headache reliever).

          Unless you're offering a value add (which is all non-Chinese product is, after all) then presumably you're competing on price with other tat vendors. I have no idea of your market or products, I don't know where you sit in the market. As a consequence I can only generally speculate on how vulnerable you are to competition or supply disruption. You already know if the Chinese supply chain is a problem for your business because of covid. Given the way you're talking it seems that it hasn't been. Good for you, keep up the good work.

          If most people cared about anything but price and convenience there wouldn't be a market for Chinese crap in the first place. From a business perspective I don't look at import of Chinese rubbish as a business I'd want to be in, but that's a personal choice rather than an impartial financial one. You are a tat vendor amongst a sea of tat vendors, the business model is sound because consumers don't care.

          If I'm being honest, most of the time I don't care either. I like the idea of divesting from China both as an individual and as a supply chain strategy, but for me I'm more interested in securing my wealth in a way that minimises impacts across the board (because it's not like China is the only risk in the world). My personal spending is peanuts and my business spending is nil at this juncture (and it won't be in sectors China is interested, or competes in, in when it does resume). The exposure you have as a business and that I have as an individual are completely different and require different strategies as a consequence.

          My overall opinion on China isn't one of boycott, because boycott implies they'll ever remedy their behaviour. They won't and we all know it. The best strategy here is to move away from dependency on China as a market and to stop effectively giving them our resources and land. If you want a lot of profit then that comes down to value add every time, that's going to mean secondary and subsequent processing, and unfortunately in a first world nation you're going to take a brutal hit on the labour costs associated with that. Some industries can tolerate that, others never will. Ultimately, if we are to compete with China and have them as a tolerable market then we need to compete on something they never can: quality. There's also the matter of daigou when dealing with China, that's something the government should be policing with all the brutality of the Chinese government. That's a business channel that we should control and richly profit from.

          As for unions, they're the herpes of business: a manageable risk. We had employees try, but it never stuck. Besides, you've decided to deal with that problem by outsourcing to Uyghur deathcamps, so I don't know what you've got to be sore about here anyway.

      • +4

        Agreed with Selfmade on this, for along time now consumers have been demanding cheap "Kmart" is a prime example. Likewise the majority of individuals also derive income via "China" whether you understand it or not, if you hold shares or super in any major retailer part of your income is derived from the profits from producing in China. Moving production to another country outside of China is not easy as the supplier must have the right tools, quality of production and also meet ethical standards, and finally sell at the reasonable price, otherwise retail buyers nor consumers will buy. On top of this production samples need to be made that can take up to 3, 6 or more months depending on the product. Whilst it all sounds easy it's anything but that, particularly when you are locked down in Australia, even if you are part of a large multinational company with a team in Asia it still isn't easy during this time to move production.

        • +1

          Ah there are people on this forum who have some knowledge!

          • +1

            @SelfMade: Its easy to understand when you live it everyday, the majority of people in the public wouldn't understand due to the lack of exposure which is understandable. China and Australia are both playing chicken at the moment, neither wants to look soft, or as the Chinese say "Save face", smart politicians are needed to lower the temperature so neither looks like the loser in front of their people.

      • +2

        lol.

        Moving manufacturing to another country TAKES YEARS. Most small and medium businesses cannot do it. Mostly only huge enterprises with lots of capital.

        Do you know how much a factory, supply chain, infrastructure, manpower costs to setup in another country that doesn't even speak the same language?

        Excluding supply chain / materials availability / resources, you would be looking at a minimum $2-4 million dollar investment. Most small businesses cannot pull out $2k. Having an entire region dedicated to manufacturing creates efficiencies that allow smaller businesses to operate feasibly to bring you your bargains.

        No, consumers have been telling us they want the best price, yesterday, with all your rights. And when the garbage product you've requested at the lowest possible price doesn't meet the standards of your $1 bargain, delivered, you'll ask for a full refund and compensation.

        No, a customer like you, we, including SelfMade, definitely don't want your money.

        And yes, your boss just snaps his fingers and that money just magically appears in your bank account. He/she is a genie.

        • 100%

        • I would have thought that some bright spark would have figured out that a difficult and onerous task like outsource implementation was a business opportunity by now. :)

          Cost is variable by sector, and $4M is peanuts. If you're spending so little then you're not buying dedicated manufacturing anyway, you're buying capacity in someone else's business. Viability of outsource provision as service varies by geography (with China being the ur example thereof). Depending on sector your manufacturing can be done in plenty of other countries, or limited countries, or nowhere but China. Businesses already know where they fit in that.

          Plenty of SMBs can't do anything well. Including this kind of thing.

          Speed is a function of expectation and desire. Whilst there are certainly hard limits on processes the fact is that if both parties want the business and have the right expectations you can do setups and cutovers alarmingly quickly. People are funny with their can't be done attitudes - there are plenty of real world examples of it being done that prove otherwise, just by people that aren't pussies and don't take no for an answer.

          English is the lingua franca of the world, so it isn't that big a deal. If it is a big deal then you buy the skills until you learn them.

          Culture is a bigger issue than language is. China is a pack of thieves that wouldn't know quality or originality if it bit them on the arse. Their government is literally the Nazis of the East. None of that is a showstopper but you have to understand the nature of the beast when dealing with it. Everywhere else has their own characteristics and foibles.

          If you sell to assholes then don't be surprised when you are stuck dealing with assholes. Besides, it's not like you're the one dealing with Karen here, is it? You pay someone to do that.

          If you don't want my money that's perfectly fine by me. Neither of us are entitled to that transaction and I support the right of business to decline a sale. You are a garbage vendor, there are so many garbage vendors that I'm spoilt for choice. I can even get the exact same product, from exactly the same factory (even your product, if you designed it), if I want. Your vendors have no loyalty to you and they don't believe in copyright. My point is simple: if you want me to buy from you there has to be a reason for that for me. If nobody wants to do the transaction then there's no loss here.

          Bosses and their businesses are every bit as expendable as employees are. If there is a need, someone will meet it. It doesn't have to be you, you are almost irrelevant to the transaction (especially in the case of Chinese tat). Nobody has ever sent you a thank you note for selling them a generic bit of injection molded plastic. Nor do you ever think about your customers beyond their input to your gross. You've already said you DGAF about my business, so why be bothered by my stated wants? I'm sorry if any of this is picking at your sore points, but that's not my primary intention.

          You are running a business by choice. Your stresses are self inflicted. You don't like being a boss? Sell the business. Problem solved. The only thing that makes you notable here is that you've passed the bar for survivorship bias in business. When you have multiple businesses and you don't have to spend all day worrying about operational guff we can talk about how good you are, until then you're a lucky guy with a work ethic and a thriving tat business. Good for you in that, there's nothing wrong with that, and if your customer base wants cheap shit from China and you're making a living off that then I don't have a problem with it.

    • +1

      why transition to worse products that cost more just because your customers are dumb?

  • +4

    Yeah can't avoid 100% but preferences have become stronger not to pick up anything made in China. Probably won't make much of a difference but hey let's appreciate the fact that we can still make choices :D.

    • -4

      And KMART is the biggest culprit. Everything is cheap made in CHINA crap.

      Bring on INDIA.

      • -1

        Kmart has a lot of Indian made things (clothes, textiles etc). Always check the label and buy the decent quality Indian made things.

      • +4

        If your desire to boycott China stems from their human rights abuses, then you should not be looking at India as a replacement. There are also indications that it is only getting worse, not better.

  • +1

    Charity begins at home, I don't have the spare cash to spend extra on choosing Aust only things. I wish I could would boycott in a second.

  • +1

    Stopped buying Chinese made things half a decade ago. I like value for money and although Chinese goods are cheap they are garbage and end up in landfill very fast. Not bang for buck.

    • +1

      well how are typing your comment then?

      • +1

        On something not made in China. And before you ask what I'm wearing or sitting on etc etc.. Again none made in China. Like I said some of us don't like filling our house with garbage from China and instead buy quality goods made in Australia, Japan, Korea, India etc.

        • +3

          Some parts of your phone or computer are almost certainly from China. It might be splitting hairs when it comes to the topic of "do you buy Chinese?", but it's nearly unavoidable when it comes to electronics.

          • +2

            @Diji: couldn't agree more but in this age of stupidity, racism and fascism, facts are superfluous, truth is unwanted and justice has consequently become impossible to obtain.

    • +2

      I think the association of cheap and made in China is silly. The manufacturers are meeting a price vs quality point in the consumer market. That is, our price demand for that quality

      The products manufactured in China range from very low quality to very high quality.

      Again, the landfill issue is caused by the consumer wanting products that are disposable. We all complain about the endless plastic in woolies fruit and veg, but it’s still there because we demand convenience.

  • +3

    read where the Chinese have very poorly made low quality stuff especially for the Aussie market as aussies buy on price most of the time.

    And if this were NOT true there would be no OzBargain.

    Lets forget all the war crimes and such and concentrate on the consumer stuff.

    i don't buy any food that I can pin down to China or from New Zealand as a lot of Chinses shit comes via them to bypass ppl who don't want Chinese grown/manufactured foodstuff, That is:
    Chinese foodstuffs are imported to NZ, packaged there and then sold as a NZ product

    The Aussie gov does need to stand up to China but can lose out badly in any trade wars. China or USA or UK?Europe should never be able to tell another country how to run the country and who it can trade with.

    Australia need to BAN all Huawei devices as a retaliation for Chinas import taxes and BS, but Wait, OzBargainers, budget conscious phone buyers etc would scream blue murder if their Huawei's etc were not available, there would be riots, tears ppl would commit suicide, if they can't have their toys etc

    You get the dilemma.

    Lets all rally behind aust gov etc only when it doesn't jeopardise our supply of electronics, gadgets etc

    there will not be much chance of ever organising an effective consumer driven boycott of Chinese goods, There are few alternatives made anywhere else

  • +9

    The truth hurts

    Members of the Special Air Service Regiment allegedly cut the throats of two 14-year-old Afghan boys before dumping their bodies in a river because they believed they were Taliban sympathisers https://www.afr.com/politics/federal/special-forces-accused-…

    Scotty from marketing upset over a meme but not upset over deaths in age care, deaths from robodebt, deaths from bush fires, soldier suicides, children held in detention on an island, unlawfully killed Afghan civilians minding their own business in their own country.

    Reap what you sow Australia
    corruption lies theft

  • Yes boycott. Even though chyna is an economic super power

  • +1

    If you lie down with dogs you get fleas.

    Time for the government to cut off dealings with China completely. Yes, that will hurt in the short term but it's better to rip off the band aid than to keep buddying up to treacherous and vile bullies. China is never going to get better, but we can by refusing to put up with their bullshit. That starts by saying "No amount of money is worth associating with you".

    • treacherous and vile bullies sums up America but you fully paid up fox is god regurgitators just keep on puking it out…

  • +1

    Please add poll 😁

  • +1

    Didn't India try to boycott Chinese goods a few months ago because China was using its usual tactics to claim some land? Anyone know what's happened with that and if they had any success?

    • +2

      I believe they banned multiple Chinese apps such as Tik Tok. China complained about India doing that (while they themselves have banned Google, Facebook, Twitter etc.) 🤔

    • Fair success. India is not that tightly linked with China.

      China accounted for over 5% of India's total exports in financial year 2019-20 and more than 14% of imports.

      https://www.bloombergquint.com/economy-finance/six-things-to…

      Australia is heavily dependent on China

      China is Australia's biggest trading partner for both the export and import of goods. Figures 1 and 2 below shows the dominance of China, with 39% all goods exported in 2019-20 going to China, while 27% of all goods imported were from China.

      https://www.abs.gov.au/articles/australias-trade-goods-china…

  • +2

    ……Boycott Chinese Products This Christmas?

    Is this going to be your excuse for not buying presents this year?

    So since most things are Made in China, if you are planning to boycott them, you'll just be sitting there. Even the chairs, carpet or tiles at home are probably Made in China so make sure you're sitting on grass or dirt. Good chance that the clothes you are wearing are probably made in China too.

    So picture yourself sitting naked on the grass in the backyard, holding your [body part]. Oh, and without your mobile phone too. That'll give you an idea of what boycotting chinese products would be like.

  • Would like to, but can't as we want some stuff.

    Looked for non Chinese made products but only found kiwi fruit and Penfolds wine.

    • +3

      Kiwifruit is actually Chinese Gooseberry.

      • +3

        Looks like the kids are getting penfolds this year.

  • +2

    By the time it's in the store, boycotting will just harm the store owner. With automation, we should be bringing back some manufacturing here

  • +3

    if you are in the market for a new motor vehicle, I recommend that you delete Chinese made vehicles (MG, Haval, Great Wall) from your
    list of alternatives. Stick with Korean, Japanese, or European stuff.

    • +1

      Volvos are also made in China.

  • +3

    Who do you think a boycott will hurt? In Australia we have social welfare as a safety net (not getting in to the good or bad of Centrelink etc), in China they have nothing like that. If a factory stops being able to sell things and sacks their workforce, the workers lose everything. Even before it gets to that point though, the factory owner would just be shrugging his shoulders and saying 'well if we can't sell it in Australia, country XYZ will buy it'.

    Honestly, the Australian market is so small that a boycott is pointless.

  • +2

    I think a lot of people will talk big when it comes to boycotting/reducing the purchase of Chinese made products. But then when faced with paying $2 or $10 for a pair of socks, they will generally go with the cheapest option and many won't even check where the product is made. Perhaps for a more emotional purchases people will avoid Chinese products? But all things considered, the impact China's actions will have on Australia will far greater than anything the Australian consumer or government can do.

  • +4

    News Ltd is back with Chinese mouth piece, will always mentioned that Australian should bow down with back side up and take the slap and apologies.

    Have you thought why Chinese are worried when Australia spoke out we need to investigate, they have spread the virus to whole world and today everyone is suffering. Had they not spread the virus deliberately there would not be any loss of jobs and our dear ones.

    The culprit has to be brought to justice. We can feel the pinch from Chinese refusing our produce but you have to understand that locals are deprived of quality and affordable produce from Australia and now they have to pay fortune to get this shipped from latin america and other countries.

    We should also remember there are no foreign press now in china to give report from ground level and we should never take any news given by CCP as true.

    India has stop all Chinese investments and projects and also ask company to source produce other then China taking into consideration they are in proxy war with India. As per Chinese Global Times that Chinese are really feel the pinch and many factories are close down. We need to follow and stop supporting Chinese produce especially where supermarket sell food stuff like biscuits and frozen item and we can buy the produces made by other countries.

    • india is currently waging a genocidal war which aussies are now signed up to…

      There's a reason why many want Oz to similarly follow its facist position, including scummo.

  • +3

    The better question is why did you vote for a government that did Trump’s bidding by upsetting our biggest trading partner for political reasons. It can curry favour domestically but when the panda takes a swipe back the country acts like a cry baby. If you want to criticise another country pick your fights and do it through diplomatic channels and not through your local media. #idiot

  • +2

    Keep checking the Grays Online auction site for the sale of cancelled export order wines. Should get some reasonably priced good wine

    • The vultures are circling…

  • +2

    Chinese products are made in China because the businesses and governments macro decisions to cut costs not for keeping jobs or money in the country….my consideration will be no different to theirs. I have responsibilities and have to make the most out of my time and money as well. I do support the local community in my own way but macro decisions are not in my control so I won't bother making micro changes for problems created by macro changes.

  • +1

    What do you mean "Christmas", I avoid Chinese made wherever I can and have for years. Of course it's not always avoidable.
    I always choose local or products from a country that does not behave like China does to its people, it's trading partners and the rest of the world. No one likes a bully. No one likes dishonesty.

    • Australia lives on it.

      • You will be free to leave once international borders open up.

        • After you then…

          • @petry: I don't hate this country as you do.

            • @brendanm: I don't hate my country. i find that offensive- most australians would cept the ones moderating here of course - lets see….

              • @petry: I've never seen you say anything positive about Australia. Not once. Feel free to move to China and live under the glorious CCP.

                • @brendanm: robodeath, hellfires, troop atrocities, promoting covid spread - buying votes..racism …. not seeing a lot of things to promote really - my country's turned to shit but you seem happy with all the above….

                  • @petry: As I said, you are free to leave. Not sure what robodeath is though, sounds exciting.

                    • @brendanm: after you as I said earlier…. and thanks for confirming you are happy with all the rest of the shit and corruption…

                      • @petry: I don't hate it, so I won't be leaving. You do hate it, so you should.

                        • @brendanm: says you which means because you don't like what i say i should go , so much for your aussie values…

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