[avandonk]

What I find far more reprehensible is these companies are selling our minerals and natural gas reserves for bargain basement prices. Anyone for LNG for their car or truck at 2C per litre? I do not care what they do to each other as they all have the same morals as the Godfather in Mario Puzo's book 'The Godfather'. Whenever something really nasty is done to someone it's always 'nothing personal it is just business'.

Western Governments abrogated many of their powers and thus their duty of care to their citizens with Globalization. They can no longer wield any sort of big stick as the big corporations have them and use them on anyone that gets in the way of their massive profits. China Inc is just such a corporation.

China Inc got very upset when they did not get full ownership of the company selling them the Iron ore. Stern Hu is just someone who got caught in the crossfire. A bit like the Balibo five they were an inconvenience that had to be eliminated.

Doing these nasty deeds in secret is part of their Modus Operandi.

Riding the tiger is exhilarating but you do it at your own peril!

In 1937 my Grandfather who was the equivalent in Indonesia of our Minister for trade was jailed for NOT taking bribes to overlook import and export duties! He was charged with taking the bribes he refused! It was only rich powerful Chinese friends of his that got him out. Yes you guessed it by judicious distribution of bribes. The Dutch Government was too far away to do anything useful. The locals were too busy playing their own dubious games.

Unfortunately the only people who the so called rule of law applies to are the ordinary people. If you upset the powerful it is not much use.

Why am I not surprised that nothing has changed for millennia? Just like in a play, the only thing that changes is the cast. They then go ahead and do it all again!

Bert