Pages

Share This

Saturday, May 25, 2019

How this US-China trade war will remake the world

New world order: People visit the bund in front of Shanghai's financial district of Pudong. The US-China trade war looks like the beginning of a profound break in the global order. As China and the United form two opposing economic and geopolitical coalitions, the rest of the world will be forced to choose. - Reuters

President Donald Trump has long said the goal of his trade policy is simply to get better deals for Americans. But as the trade war intensifies, it seems increasingly likely that his policies will lead to something more: a lasting break with China and a new alignment of global power.

First, consider the evidence for the break.

The current impasse in trade talks was sparked by a sudden change in terms on the part of the Chinese negotiators.

This change likely caught the administration off guard, but Trump’s response is notable: He immediately ramped up tariffs, then announced a ban on business with Chinese telecommunications firm and national champion Huawei Technologies Co.

These actions have backed Chinese President Xi Jinping into a corner and turned the trade dispute into a matter of Chinese national pride.

This limits the possibility not only of a quick resolution, but also of the chances that the Chinese people will accept any concessions to the US.

Trump’s handling of this situation stands in sharp contrast to his negotiating strategy on other issues.

Though the president railed against NAFTA throughout his campaign, he’s touted its replacement as a huge success, even though it is only cosmetically different, and has been willing to suspend his tariffs on Canada and Mexico to ease its passage through Congress.

Likewise, Trump has been more than willing to trumpet his successful negotiations with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un even though the evidence for such success is thin.

Meanwhile, the president’s tough talk against Europe and Japan for their trade practices, and against NATO allies for their defence spending, has been mostly bluster.

When it comes to China, however, the president is doubling down.

He has encouraged US supply chains to move out of China and established subsidy programmes to cushion farmers from the effects of a protracted trade war.

Which leads to the long-term implications of this battle. A protracted trade war would almost guarantee a global realignment.

Supply chains that run through both the US and China would constantly be subject to disruptions, so global manufacturers would have to decide whether to pursue an America-centric or China-centric strategy.

That’s already the case in the digital sphere, where Chinese restrictions on the Internet divide the world into two parts: that which is served by US tech giants such as Google and Facebook, and that which relies on Chinese firms such as Baidu and WeChat.

China’s threat to cut off US access to rare-earth minerals points to a potential bifurcation in commodities markets as well.

The trend is clear: As China’s economic and geopolitical power grows, countries within China’s sphere of influence will feel increasing pressure to integrate their economies with Chinese supply chains and multinationals rather than American ones.

At the same time, as my Bloomberg Opinion colleague Tyler Cowen points out, the rise of China is a main driver of populist sentiment in the UK and Australia.

This creates political pressure in those countries for further isolation from China.

In the US, Trump has made it clear that he sees the trade war with China as politically advantageous for him, and he’s probably right.

It’s probably also true that this anti-China sentiment will outlast him.

Break in global order

Add up all these factors, and the US-China trade war looks like the beginning of a profound break in the global order. As China and the US form two opposing economic and geopolitical coalitions, the rest of the world will be forced to choose.

Maybe the European Union can form a third unaligned pole, as France and Germany’s membership in the EU (and the UK’s absence from it) provides them with the negotiating power to avoid falling under the Chinese or American sphere of influence.

Of course, in some ways this type of multipolar alignment would be a return to the past. The dual-superpower world that existed for much of the second half of the 20th century was always an exception, and the era of American supremacy that began after the collapse of the Soviet Union was never going to last.

Until recently, however, a new kind of bipolar arrangement seemed possible: a kind of competitive partnership between China and the US, with the EU playing a supporting role.

The events of the last few weeks have left that looking increasingly unlikely. — Bloomberg Opinion

By Karl W. Smith , a former assistant professor of economics at the University of North Carolina’s school of government.

Source link


Read more : 

The Tech Cold War Has Begun - Bloomberg
https://www.bloomberg.com/.../huawei-supply-freeze-points-to-u-s-china-tech-cold-w...

5 days ago - China now has no choice but to pursue technological independence, and will burn the cash to achieve it. ... A similar process took place when ZTE Corp. was banned from buying U.S. products after reneging on a deal to settle charges of breaking trade sanctions. ... The U.S. ended up 

 

Another Long March begins

Chinese President Xi Jinping said that "we are on a new Long March now" during his inspection tour of Jiangxi Province this week and encouraged people to gain strength from the spirit of the Long March to overcome difficulties and obstacles, China's state media outlets reported on Thursday.

Related posts:


https://youtu.be/oiGm2E8BaC4 Martin Jacques Martin Jacques (2012) Born 1945 (age 73–74) Coventry , England, Great Britain, U.


 
  https://youtu.be/nzhZGUfaZhI China-U.S. trade tensions | Mideast tensions take turn for worse    https://youtu.be/eQbQbvGBDaM...


https://youtu.be/hRv0QMEwdas https://youtu.be/dtT0rHgJ9-I 《今日关注》是CCTV中文国际频道播出的时事述评栏目。该栏目紧密跟踪国内外重大新闻事件,邀请国内外一流的专家和高级官员梳理新闻来龙去脉,评论新闻事...

 
Huawei Technologies CEO Ren Zhengfei says Huawei would be "fine" even if Qualcomm and other American suppliers would not sell .
 

How this US-China trade war will remake the world

New world order: People visit the bund in front of Shanghai's financial district of Pudong. The US-China trade war looks like the beginning of a profound break in the global order. As China and the United form two opposing economic and geopolitical coalitions, the rest of the world will be forced to choose. - Reuters

President Donald Trump has long said the goal of his trade policy is simply to get better deals for Americans. But as the trade war intensifies, it seems increasingly likely that his policies will lead to something more: a lasting break with China and a new alignment of global power.

First, consider the evidence for the break.

The current impasse in trade talks was sparked by a sudden change in terms on the part of the Chinese negotiators.

This change likely caught the administration off guard, but Trump’s response is notable: He immediately ramped up tariffs, then announced a ban on business with Chinese telecommunications firm and national champion Huawei Technologies Co.

These actions have backed Chinese President Xi Jinping into a corner and turned the trade dispute into a matter of Chinese national pride.

This limits the possibility not only of a quick resolution, but also of the chances that the Chinese people will accept any concessions to the US.

Trump’s handling of this situation stands in sharp contrast to his negotiating strategy on other issues.

Though the president railed against NAFTA throughout his campaign, he’s touted its replacement as a huge success, even though it is only cosmetically different, and has been willing to suspend his tariffs on Canada and Mexico to ease its passage through Congress.

Likewise, Trump has been more than willing to trumpet his successful negotiations with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un even though the evidence for such success is thin.

Meanwhile, the president’s tough talk against Europe and Japan for their trade practices, and against NATO allies for their defence spending, has been mostly bluster.

When it comes to China, however, the president is doubling down.

He has encouraged US supply chains to move out of China and established subsidy programmes to cushion farmers from the effects of a protracted trade war.

Which leads to the long-term implications of this battle. A protracted trade war would almost guarantee a global realignment.

Supply chains that run through both the US and China would constantly be subject to disruptions, so global manufacturers would have to decide whether to pursue an America-centric or China-centric strategy.

That’s already the case in the digital sphere, where Chinese restrictions on the Internet divide the world into two parts: that which is served by US tech giants such as Google and Facebook, and that which relies on Chinese firms such as Baidu and WeChat.

China’s threat to cut off US access to rare-earth minerals points to a potential bifurcation in commodities markets as well.

The trend is clear: As China’s economic and geopolitical power grows, countries within China’s sphere of influence will feel increasing pressure to integrate their economies with Chinese supply chains and multinationals rather than American ones.

At the same time, as my Bloomberg Opinion colleague Tyler Cowen points out, the rise of China is a main driver of populist sentiment in the UK and Australia.

This creates political pressure in those countries for further isolation from China.

In the US, Trump has made it clear that he sees the trade war with China as politically advantageous for him, and he’s probably right.

It’s probably also true that this anti-China sentiment will outlast him.

Break in global order

Add up all these factors, and the US-China trade war looks like the beginning of a profound break in the global order. As China and the US form two opposing economic and geopolitical coalitions, the rest of the world will be forced to choose.

Maybe the European Union can form a third unaligned pole, as France and Germany’s membership in the EU (and the UK’s absence from it) provides them with the negotiating power to avoid falling under the Chinese or American sphere of influence.

Of course, in some ways this type of multipolar alignment would be a return to the past. The dual-superpower world that existed for much of the second half of the 20th century was always an exception, and the era of American supremacy that began after the collapse of the Soviet Union was never going to last.

Until recently, however, a new kind of bipolar arrangement seemed possible: a kind of competitive partnership between China and the US, with the EU playing a supporting role.

The events of the last few weeks have left that looking increasingly unlikely. — Bloomberg Opinion

By Karl W. Smith , a former assistant professor of economics at the University of North Carolina’s school of government.

Source link


Read more : 

The Tech Cold War Has Begun - Bloomberg 

China now has no choice but to pursue technological independence, and will burn the cash to achieve it. ... A similar process took place when ZTE Corp. was banned from buying U.S. products after reneging on a deal to settle charges of breaking trade sanctions. ... The U.S. ended up 

 

Another Long March begins

Chinese President Xi Jinping said that "we are on a new Long March now" during his inspection tour of Jiangxi Province this week and encouraged people to gain strength from the spirit of the Long March to overcome difficulties and obstacles, China's state media outlets reported on Thursday.

Related posts:


https://youtu.be/oiGm2E8BaC4 Martin Jacques Martin Jacques (2012) Born 1945 (age 73–74) Coventry , England, Great Britain, U.


 
  https://youtu.be/nzhZGUfaZhI China-U.S. trade tensions | Mideast tensions take turn for worse    https://youtu.be/eQbQbvGBDaM...


https://youtu.be/hRv0QMEwdas https://youtu.be/dtT0rHgJ9-I 《今日关注》是CCTV中文国际频道播出的时事述评栏目。该栏目紧密跟踪国内外重大新闻事件,邀请国内外一流的专家和高级官员梳理新闻来龙去脉,评论新闻事...

 
Huawei Technologies CEO Ren Zhengfei says Huawei would be "fine" even if Qualcomm and other American suppliers would not sell .
 

Friday, May 24, 2019

Why does the West fail to understand China? The West misreads, China is rising, said Cambridge Prof

https://youtu.be/oiGm2E8BaC4


Martin Jacques
Martin Jacques (2012)
Born1945 (age 73–74)
Coventry, England, Great Britain, U.K
NationalityBritish
EducationKing Henry VIII School, Coventry
Alma materUniversity of Manchester (B.A.)
University of Cambridge (PhD)
OccupationEditor, academic, author
WebsiteMartinJacques.com


Inside HUAWEI after Trumps BAN - HongMeng OS is coming !

https://youtu.be/lnVKcbDPsho


Apple vs Huawei: The Fall of a Giant


https://youtu.be/6PQCuMOygVQ

"What China Will Be Like As A Great Power" : Martin Jacques Keynote (32nd Annual Camden Conference)


https://youtu.be/uBjvklYLShM

中國是世界上唯一的文明

< https://youtu.be/XixqLWWTeEw



Related posts:

Huawei could end up challenging Google

 




https://youtu.be/hRv0QMEwdas https://youtu.be/dtT0rHgJ9-I 《今日关注》是CCTV中文国际频道播出的时事述评栏目。该栏目紧密跟踪国内外重大新闻事件,邀请国内外一流的专家和高级官员梳理新闻来龙去脉,评论新闻事.


  https://youtu.be/nzhZGUfaZhI China-U.S. trade tensions | Mideast tensions take turn for worse    https://youtu.be/eQbQbvGBDaM...





Huawei Technologies CEO Ren Zhengfei says Huawei would be "fine" even if Qualcomm and other American suppliers would not sell .



Read  Source link: US, China: Frenemies? - World | The Star Online  Professor who predicted clash between great powers talks abo..

Why does the West fail to understand China? The West misreads, China is rising, said Cambridge Prof

https://youtu.be/oiGm2E8BaC4


Martin Jacques
Martin Jacques (2012)
Born1945 (age 73–74)
Coventry, England, Great Britain, U.K
NationalityBritish
EducationKing Henry VIII School, Coventry
Alma materUniversity of Manchester (B.A.)
University of Cambridge (PhD)
OccupationEditor, academic, author
WebsiteMartinJacques.com


Inside HUAWEI after Trumps BAN - HongMeng OS is coming !

https://youtu.be/lnVKcbDPsho


Apple vs Huawei: The Fall of a Giant


https://youtu.be/6PQCuMOygVQ

"What China Will Be Like As A Great Power" : Martin Jacques Keynote (32nd Annual Camden Conference)


https://youtu.be/uBjvklYLShM

中國是世界上唯一的文明

< https://youtu.be/XixqLWWTeEw



Related posts:

Huawei could end up challenging Google

 




https://youtu.be/hRv0QMEwdas https://youtu.be/dtT0rHgJ9-I 《今日关注》是CCTV中文国际频道播出的时事述评栏目。该栏目紧密跟踪国内外重大新闻事件,邀请国内外一流的专家和高级官员梳理新闻来龙去脉,评论新闻事.


  https://youtu.be/nzhZGUfaZhI China-U.S. trade tensions | Mideast tensions take turn for worse    https://youtu.be/eQbQbvGBDaM...





Huawei Technologies CEO Ren Zhengfei says Huawei would be "fine" even if Qualcomm and other American suppliers would not sell .



Read  Source link: US, China: Frenemies? - World | The Star Online  Professor who predicted clash between great powers talks abo..

Huawei could end up challenging Google


Google Ban Huawei 谷歌封杀华为 || Epic Asian

https://youtu.be/b0M2ZGyZV7U

Surprising Facts About HUAWEI - Is it Evil?

https://youtu.be/QzzbwBvXds0

Interview With Ren Zhengfei, Founder And CEO Of Chinese Telecom Giant Huawei | TIME

  https://youtu.be/Nl2jCWDwE8w

BY imposing restrictions on Huawei Technologies Co, the administration of US President Donald Trump may force the Chinese company to do something that no one in tech has dared to do for a long time: Challenge Google’s control of the Android universe, which earned the US company a huge European fine last year.

Huawei faces two big threats from US technology export restrictions. One is the loss of American components for its products, a blow it cannot parry immediately if it wants to keep making top-flight smartphones.

The other is the potential withdrawal of its Android license, which would stop Huawei from preinstalling the latest Google-approved version of the operating system and some key services Western users see as necessary - above all Google’s Play Store, the biggest repository of Android apps.

This particular obstacle could, under the right conditions, turn into a Huawei strength in Europe, a market that accounts for almost a third of the company’s smartphone unit sales, according to market analytics company IDC.

Last July, the European Commission fined Google €4.34bil for imposing illegal restrictions on smartphone manufacturers. In exchange for the right to preinstall the Play Store, they had to agree, among other things, not to sell devices running versions of Android not approved by Google: so-called Android forks. These operating systems are developed from the open source version of Android, which anyone can use, including Huawei if the US bans it from using American technology. Amazon.com Inc’s Fire OS is the best-known Android fork today, though there are others around.

The commission wrote that by obstructing the development of Android forks, Google and its parent company Alphabet Inc “closed off an important channel for competitors to introduce apps and services, in particular general search services, which could be pre-installed on Android forks.”

In its ruling, it made a strong case for forks as platforms for Google-independent innovation that, if they were allowed to spread widely, could have curbed Google’s market dominance in various areas.

Google has appealed the ruling, but it has also removed restrictions on handset makers to avoid further fines. This, however, hasn’t led to the proliferation of alternative platforms based on open-source Android: Big phone makers are locked into comfortable relationships with Google and see no need to experiment. Days after the European Union fined Google, Huawei, at the time the biggest phone manufacturer that provided an easy opportunity to install alternative Android-based operating systems on its devices, ended the programme without explanation.

If Google takes away the Android license, it’ll yank Huawei out of its comfort zone. The company isn’t likely to give up the European market without a fight, after spending billions of dollars developing a customer base. Consumers in some European countries now appear to be put off Huawei by the US attack, although, paradoxically, it appears to have fuelled the brand’s popularity in France.

France for Huawei

Percentage* of consumers who say they'll consider buying a Huawei device when they're next in the market for a smartphone
Source: YouGov BrandIndex

The company has said it developed its own operating system (likely an Android fork), and it’s been trying to lure developers to its app store.

If the US stops Huawei from preinstalling the Play Store, the Chinese manufacturer probably won’t spend much time educating consumers on how to install it on their own (the way people do now with phones bought in China).

That’s not what most users expect on a new, expensive device. Instead, Huawei will want to offer developers an easy way to sell apps not just in the Google store but also in one preinstalled on Huawei devices - to “multi-home” them.

Huawei hasn’t been eager to get into an open confrontation with Google, which was a valued partner.

But a breakup ordered by the US government changes things. Huawei, with plenty of resources of its own (and most likely with support from the Chinese government, determined to fight back against the US), could soon be investing heavily in the marketing and improvement of an Android fork. Given Huawei’s marketing potential, the effort isn’t necessarily doomed. And it could boost Asian and European developers deterred from competing in some areas - such as mapping, video services or even search - by Google’s enormous power.

Given the pushback in recent years against US tech companies’ relentless data collection and the widespread mistrust of Trump’s administration in Europe, there could well be demand for a Google-free phone from a major manufacturer known for superior hardware.

I know I’d be interested, and the French would probably lap it up, judging by their reaction to the US threats. The EU regulators, too, might be intrigued to see evidence that perhaps the Google antitrust ruling didn’t come too late.

This is something of a utopian scenario, I know. Huawei may never need to go on the warpath against Google: The US and China could strike a trade deal that would make the specter of restrictions go away.

Or, if Huawei is banned from buying US technology, it could find itself unable to produce marketable phones for a while. And, of course, it is a company from Communist China, making it difficult for European regulators, and even for private developers, to embrace it as a savior from the overly dominant US tech companies.

Monopolies in tech don’t last forever, however.

Sometimes they just need a push to start showing cracks. If the US moves against Huawei, it might be unknowingly giving such a push to Google in the smartphone market. — Bloomberg Viewpoint

Source link



Read more:

China will emerge victorious from US tech crackdown folly


But it needs a lot of time. During this process, China cannot avoid paying a price and will have a difficult time. But Huawei still has a domestic market of more than a billion Chinese people and the market of the Third World countries. When the Trump administration cracks down on Huawei, the US also goes through hard times. The final victory will certainly be China's, but China must have adequate determination and endurance.

Huawei Accuses U.S. of Bullying as It Seeks Support From Europe - WSJ

Govt seeks Asian support  

Even with trade war, Asia bond investors sleep better at night


Related posts:

 

 
The TRUTH about Trump HUAWEI BAN ! What is Huawei really guilty of ? Can't beat them, ban them, tell lies !

 
  https://youtu.be/nzhZGUfaZhI China-U.S. trade tensions | Mideast tensions take turn for worse    https://youtu.be/eQbQbvGBDaM
...
Huawei Technologies CEO Ren Zhengfei says Huawei would be "fine" even if Qualcomm and other American suppliers would not sell ..

.
 
KUALA LUMPUR: It looked like the start of semiconductor manufacturers’ nightmare when US President Donald Trump fired another salvo in t...

Huawei could end up challenging Google


Google Ban Huawei 谷歌封杀华为 || Epic Asian

https://youtu.be/b0M2ZGyZV7U

Surprising Facts About HUAWEI - Is it Evil?

https://youtu.be/QzzbwBvXds0

Interview With Ren Zhengfei, Founder And CEO Of Chinese Telecom Giant Huawei | TIME

  https://youtu.be/Nl2jCWDwE8w

BY imposing restrictions on Huawei Technologies Co, the administration of US President Donald Trump may force the Chinese company to do something that no one in tech has dared to do for a long time: Challenge Google’s control of the Android universe, which earned the US company a huge European fine last year.

Huawei faces two big threats from US technology export restrictions. One is the loss of American components for its products, a blow it cannot parry immediately if it wants to keep making top-flight smartphones.

The other is the potential withdrawal of its Android license, which would stop Huawei from preinstalling the latest Google-approved version of the operating system and some key services Western users see as necessary - above all Google’s Play Store, the biggest repository of Android apps.

This particular obstacle could, under the right conditions, turn into a Huawei strength in Europe, a market that accounts for almost a third of the company’s smartphone unit sales, according to market analytics company IDC.

Last July, the European Commission fined Google €4.34bil for imposing illegal restrictions on smartphone manufacturers. In exchange for the right to preinstall the Play Store, they had to agree, among other things, not to sell devices running versions of Android not approved by Google: so-called Android forks. These operating systems are developed from the open source version of Android, which anyone can use, including Huawei if the US bans it from using American technology. Amazon.com Inc’s Fire OS is the best-known Android fork today, though there are others around.

The commission wrote that by obstructing the development of Android forks, Google and its parent company Alphabet Inc “closed off an important channel for competitors to introduce apps and services, in particular general search services, which could be pre-installed on Android forks.”

In its ruling, it made a strong case for forks as platforms for Google-independent innovation that, if they were allowed to spread widely, could have curbed Google’s market dominance in various areas.

Google has appealed the ruling, but it has also removed restrictions on handset makers to avoid further fines. This, however, hasn’t led to the proliferation of alternative platforms based on open-source Android: Big phone makers are locked into comfortable relationships with Google and see no need to experiment. Days after the European Union fined Google, Huawei, at the time the biggest phone manufacturer that provided an easy opportunity to install alternative Android-based operating systems on its devices, ended the programme without explanation.

If Google takes away the Android license, it’ll yank Huawei out of its comfort zone. The company isn’t likely to give up the European market without a fight, after spending billions of dollars developing a customer base. Consumers in some European countries now appear to be put off Huawei by the US attack, although, paradoxically, it appears to have fuelled the brand’s popularity in France.

France for Huawei

Percentage* of consumers who say they'll consider buying a Huawei device when they're next in the market for a smartphone
Source: YouGov BrandIndex

The company has said it developed its own operating system (likely an Android fork), and it’s been trying to lure developers to its app store.

If the US stops Huawei from preinstalling the Play Store, the Chinese manufacturer probably won’t spend much time educating consumers on how to install it on their own (the way people do now with phones bought in China).

That’s not what most users expect on a new, expensive device. Instead, Huawei will want to offer developers an easy way to sell apps not just in the Google store but also in one preinstalled on Huawei devices - to “multi-home” them.

Huawei hasn’t been eager to get into an open confrontation with Google, which was a valued partner.

But a breakup ordered by the US government changes things. Huawei, with plenty of resources of its own (and most likely with support from the Chinese government, determined to fight back against the US), could soon be investing heavily in the marketing and improvement of an Android fork. Given Huawei’s marketing potential, the effort isn’t necessarily doomed. And it could boost Asian and European developers deterred from competing in some areas - such as mapping, video services or even search - by Google’s enormous power.

Given the pushback in recent years against US tech companies’ relentless data collection and the widespread mistrust of Trump’s administration in Europe, there could well be demand for a Google-free phone from a major manufacturer known for superior hardware.

I know I’d be interested, and the French would probably lap it up, judging by their reaction to the US threats. The EU regulators, too, might be intrigued to see evidence that perhaps the Google antitrust ruling didn’t come too late.

This is something of a utopian scenario, I know. Huawei may never need to go on the warpath against Google: The US and China could strike a trade deal that would make the specter of restrictions go away.

Or, if Huawei is banned from buying US technology, it could find itself unable to produce marketable phones for a while. And, of course, it is a company from Communist China, making it difficult for European regulators, and even for private developers, to embrace it as a savior from the overly dominant US tech companies.

Monopolies in tech don’t last forever, however.

Sometimes they just need a push to start showing cracks. If the US moves against Huawei, it might be unknowingly giving such a push to Google in the smartphone market. — Bloomberg Viewpoint

Source link



Read more:

China will emerge victorious from US tech crackdown folly


But it needs a lot of time. During this process, China cannot avoid paying a price and will have a difficult time. But Huawei still has a domestic market of more than a billion Chinese people and the market of the Third World countries. When the Trump administration cracks down on Huawei, the US also goes through hard times. The final victory will certainly be China's, but China must have adequate determination and endurance.

Huawei Accuses U.S. of Bullying as It Seeks Support From Europe - WSJ

Govt seeks Asian support  

Even with trade war, Asia bond investors sleep better at night


Related posts:

 

 
The TRUTH about Trump HUAWEI BAN ! What is Huawei really guilty of ? Can't beat them, ban them, tell lies !

 
  https://youtu.be/nzhZGUfaZhI China-U.S. trade tensions | Mideast tensions take turn for worse    https://youtu.be/eQbQbvGBDaM
...
Huawei Technologies CEO Ren Zhengfei says Huawei would be "fine" even if Qualcomm and other American suppliers would not sell ..

.
 
KUALA LUMPUR: It looked like the start of semiconductor manufacturers’ nightmare when US President Donald Trump fired another salvo in t...

Thursday, May 23, 2019

Huawei ban: Risk or opportunity for M'sian tech companies? US-China trade war a boon


KUALA LUMPUR: It looked like the start of semiconductor manufacturers’ nightmare when US President Donald Trump fired another salvo in the escalating US-China trade war by blacklisting China’s mobile phone equipment giant, Huawei Technologies Co Ltd.

The act sent shock waves along the supply chain of the global semiconductor industry, sparking strong sell-offs in semiconductor companies’ shares worldwide. The same was seen in Malaysia, which caused the Bursa Malaysia Technology Index to sink 3.47% on Tuesday — the biggest loser among the indices — led by companies linked to the industry.

But it may not be a losing battle in the long run, at least not for Malaysian companies. The trade diversion that will arise from Huawei’s ban in the US, which effectively cuts off US chipmakers from the supply chain of Huawei — the world’s largest provider of networking gear and the second-largest smartphone vendor — may benefit domestic players here.

Pentamaster Group Bhd co-founder and chairman Chuah Choon Bin told The Edge Financial Daily that he expects the group’s telecommunications segment to see a 20% to 30% decline in sales as a result of Huawei’s blacklisting in the US. The contraction may take away some 18% in total sales it anticipates for the year.

However, Chuah said Pentamaster may also stand to benefit from the ban, as he expects China will become more aggressive in ramping up their product developments in the face of what happened to Huawei.

So, he sees a silver lining for the group in the form of trade diverted from US chip suppliers to those located elsewhere, possibly in Malaysia, where Pentamaster supplies chip tester equipment or automated tester equipment.

As such, Chuah does not expect Pentamaster to be greatly affected by Huawei’s ban in the US. In fact, the eventual tally may show Pentamaster gaining from the situation.

Pentamaster was among the technology counters on Bursa Malaysia that took a beating on Tuesday, following the news on Huawei’s ban.

Its shares sank as much as 29 sen on Tuesday to RM4.05, before easing to settle at RM4.10, down 24 sen or 5.53% at market close. It was one of the top losers in Bursa Malaysia’s Technology Index, which retreated to 30.9 points, dragging the FBM KLCI down 0.1% to close at 1,603.74.

Other semiconductor stocks that were badly hit include: Inari Amertron, which fell 10 sen or 6.67% to RM1.40; Mi Technovation Bhd, which was down 11 sen or 6.43% to RM1.60; Globetronics Technology Bhd, which retreated 10 sen or 5.92% to RM1.59; and Frontken Corp Bhd, which fell eight sen or 5.63% to RM1.34.

Nonetheless, the rebound on Wall Street among semiconductor stocks that were bogged down by fears over the trade war’s ripple effects, raised hope that its peers in Malaysia may follow suit, if the upward trend seen on Tuesday is sustainable.

The share price recovery was fuelled by the temporary 90-day reprieve that was granted to Huawei on Monday. The initial ban was to take effect on May 20. The Philadelphia Semiconductor Index gained 2.1% to end a three-day slump on Tuesday.

“The disruption to (the) supply chain will definitely be negative in the short term,” said an analyst who tracks the semiconductor industry, citing as example people who are considering switching mobile phones after the news that Alphabet Inc’s Google would be cutting off the supply of hardware and selected software services to Huawei once the 90 days is up.

“The trade war seems like breaking the supply chain into two ... this is going to be bad in the short term. But if China cannot get their supply from the US, they are likely to turn inwards ... [or to] countries like Malaysia,” the analyst added.

A Singapore-based fund manager commented that Malaysian tech companies presently do not have much to do with Huawei. But the ban is causing everyone in China to sit up and rethink their supply chain strategy. “In short, no one will believe in the US [anymore]. It is not a reliable and credible supplier. What it means is that it is positive for some of those tech companies in Malaysia that can offer what the Chinese need,” he said.

Some analysts, however, have a more cautious stance, saying it is too early to draw any conclusions on the matter given that it is hard to predict any retaliatory moves the two countries could make. The lingering concern remains that any slowdown in international trade volume will not augur well for the world economy, including Malaysia. Meanwhile, some have pointed out that the valuation of Malaysian semiconductor stocks are relatively higher compared with elsewhere.


Read more:


  US-China trade war a boon 



Pentamaster still confident of another record earnings year


Related posts:



https://youtu.be/hRv0QMEwdas https://youtu.be/dtT0rHgJ9-I 《今日关注》是CCTV中文国际频道播出的时事述评栏目。该栏目紧密跟踪国内外重大新闻事件,邀请国内外一流的专家和高级官员梳理新闻来龙去脉,评论新闻事..

China won't accept unequal trade deal