Mercedes-Benz apologises to China after quoting Dalai Lama

Either companies retain their core values, or they bow down to money.

They bow down to money, because that's what a company's core value is.

However, I did find it a bit amusing that a luxurious car company, like Mercedes-probably a symbol of utmost materialism, is quoting Buddhist spiritual leader. I guess this was kind of their reality check.

The language used in the apology is grovelly and long-winded. I expect they were sent the wording by the Chinese authorities and instructed to use it in its entirety, or else... .

How intellectually weak and feeble must your mind be that a simple quote leads to some great offence. It flies in the face of a more ""more confident and open" China. I find it hard to believe that the average Chinese citizen is deeply hurt but such a non consequential one line zinger designed to flog cars.

There is nothing "open" about China. The entire Chinese state is surrounded by a wall and what seems to be an increasingly majority of people within it cannot communicate, cannot acknowledge, cannot even argue a point with anyone that deviates from the orthodoxy. They can't even read it without convulsions it seems.

Its China the never ending victim, at every turn, that now wants to lash out like a baby at anything that might run counter to their narrative. They expect the entirety of the world to be open to Chinese trade and culture but absolutely refuse to accept its a two-way relationship that at times might make you uncomfortable.

The West needs to abandon China as much as practical. Any significant engagement should only be around global issues, like climate change. The more we engage, the more we sell out our core values. We need to systematically cut all Chinese imports of goods, services and culture until China undergoes another transformation. I fear that can't happen while Xi is alive. Whats needed is a change of course towards countries and cultures that don't throw a tanty when they hear a few words they find troublesome.

The best bet, clearly at this stage, is all the resources devoted towards playing with China need to reallocated to India and the only resources that should remain are those intent on defeating the intrusion of their extremely weak, intolerant mindset into a culture which is genuinely "open" and by in large tolerant and proves it daily by allowing thousands of immigrants to start a new life in their lands.

This rapprochement started in the 1970's. We have had nearly 50 years of trying to get this relationship right. Its failed and failed comprehensively at every level apart from trading widgets for dollars.

Its beyond time that we moved on. There is no future for this relationship.

Mercedes kotowed to the emperor. This is all about money ain’t a damn thing funny.

The West needs to abandon China as much as practical. Any significant engagement should only be around global issues, like climate change. The more we engage, the more we sell out our core values. We need to systematically cut all Chinese imports of goods, services and culture until China undergoes another transformation.

You've made good points until this. You can't expect them to change if you act like them. And you can't beat them at a game they're better at. Not to mention what you propose is quite literally impossible, especially now.

You can't talk about being open with such a close mind. That's just hypocritical, and it's the type of thing that constantly justifies their government.

Let's not forget that they too had to import Western culture. Some of them were enforced upon them during the colonial days. So it's not only you who is skeptical about other cultures while having a sense of righteousness to your own.

Also, the rapprochement wasn't about "changing them to be more Western in the long run", it was about tackling the Soviet Union together. In other words, it's about geopolitics, not morals.

It was also about engaging in favor of an undeniable giant at the expense of Taiwan. Back in the day, Western countries treated China like how you wanted them to do now. They thought the CCP would collapse eventually. But it didn't, to a point that they couldn't ignore them forever, as backwards and Communists as they saw them.

Then it also became a capitalistic opportunity for Western businesses to gain so much profit from outsourcing cheap, basically slave-like Chinese labor- another point to consider before taking the Western moral high ground. Contrary to popular belief, most of the money actually goes to those Western businesses and corporations, not China or their people.

But they did save what they could. And they managed to create an ever-growing consumer market not only for themselves, but for companies like Mercedes as well. Yes, this contributes greatly to their economy, and yes their power and clout rises with it. All of a sudden, you can't treat them like they're helpless beggars who feed on your graces anymore. They can say "no", now.

It's something that makes people concerned or uneasy. Some justified, some are not. Matt, I feel like some of your issues is the latter.

Thanks to the CCP and foreign investment, China is a flourishing police state where arbitrary detention and death are standard. That is exactly why any country that claims to be democratic should absolutely and completely abandon any interaction with the CCP and the lands it currently rules over. It is because the CCP has accumulated so much money, so many trade connections, and so much interest in China while killing or imprisoning anyone and everyone involved in seeing actual democracy develop in China that the democracies of the world should disengage from the failed policy of getting rich quick and hoping the CCP lets the Chinese people develop their nation free from the tyranny of the dictatorship of the CCP's cabal of dictators. Mercedes is another in a long line of short-sighted sycophants hat-in-hand before the coffers of the CCP. It is never unrealisitc to take a stand against tyranny. It may cost you your life (if you are in China), but on a global scale it is always necessary.

Western multinational corporations must follow the Communist ideological line and even show solidarity with it. Welcome to the world of "globalization" .

Not to mention what you propose is quite literally impossible, especially now.

I don't think it is impossible. Not at all. Its only going to require once incident and to be honest it might not even involve a Western country. For example, I wonder what would happen if one of those border disputes between India and China got out of control. I personally think that will bring it all to a head and its not exactly unlikely. The Indians are extremely annoyed about China's support of Pakistan and in particular the OBOR through what they consider their territory in the North, right or wrong. Plus China's activities near their eastern frontier.

They can say "no", now.

Sure they can, so can we and we will.