Blighty, China and Nuclear Power

[Clinton Huxley]

Despite having no money or expertise any more, Blighty is looking to build some new nuclear reactors for electricity generation. The Frenchies, via EDF are involved but EDF have massive debts, so EDF have been talking to the only chaps who seem to have any readies these days - The Chinese.

Chinese companies (AKA the Chinese Govt) will have direct, insider access to the most critical bit of UK infrastructure - the electricity generation and distribution network. Chinese hackers have been attempting to get this for years (maybe they've succeeded) and now we are just going to hand this over on a plate.

China will have the ability to switch Britain off whenever they feel like it.

Doesn't sound like a great idea to me but how else can we keep the lights on?

This kind of thing is a worry for other Western countries, eg the USA blocking Chinese telecoms companies from building infrastructure in the US.

Start learning Mandarin, I say.....

[Rum]

Surely the spooks will have something to say about this?

..I mean if WE know...

[Clinton Huxley]

Surely the spooks will have something to say about this?

..I mean if WE know...

I guess UKG will take a "golden share" in any venture but that still leaves these reactors in potentially hostile hands. We've got no cash to build 'em, so what can we do?

[FBM]

The problem with Chinese electricity is that you generate some now, and an hour later, well....

[Rum]

Plus you get ladioactive lice of course..

[Mallardz]

Plus you get ladioactive lice of course..

If they turn of our power we're all going to be blaming you now.

[Clinton Huxley]

Argentina was once considered an "informal" part of the British Empire because we built and owned so much of its infrastructure (railways etc). I guess Blighty will be an informal part of the Celestial Kingdom...

[Mallardz]

Argentina was once considered an "informal" part of the British Empire because we built and owned so much of its infrastructure (railways etc). I guess Blighty will be an informal part of the Celestial Kingdom...

After all we did for them, with the railway and all and, they still won't leave the falklands be.

[klr]

What about the China Syndrome?


Anyway, I for one welcome our new Sino-Nuclear overlords.

[Clinton Huxley]

Argentina was once considered an "informal" part of the British Empire because we built and owned so much of its infrastructure (railways etc). I guess Blighty will be an informal part of the Celestial Kingdom...

After all we did for them, with the railway and all and, they still won't leave the falklands be.

As well expect gratitude from a cat.

[JimC]

Australia has for some time blocked tenders from state-owned Chinese companies to build communication infrastructure here...

Wisely, IMO...

Trapdoor programs, anyone?

Just buy our coal, gas and iron ore, and sell us consumer trinkets...

[klr]

Australia has for some time blocked tenders from state-owned Chinese companies to build communication infrastructure here...

Wisely, IMO...

Trapdoor programs, anyone?

Just buy our coal, gas and iron ore, and sell us consumer trinkets...

You sound a bit like the Native Americans, during the early colonial days.

[JimC]

Australia has for some time blocked tenders from state-owned Chinese companies to build communication infrastructure here...

Wisely, IMO...

Trapdoor programs, anyone?

Just buy our coal, gas and iron ore, and sell us consumer trinkets...

You sound a bit like the Native Americans, during the early colonial days.

WANT PRETTY TRINKETS!

AND SQUARE FACE GIN!

[MrJonno]

The idea that any country is economic, political or technologically independent is absurd anyway, China relies on western customers to survive, we rely on China for affordable goods.

Good all fashion capitalist international trade

[redunderthebed]

Australia has for some time blocked tenders from state-owned Chinese companies to build communication infrastructure here...

Wisely, IMO...

Trapdoor programs, anyone?

Not just state owned but private too.

Huawei which is private AFAIK which already sell cheap and crappy phones to bogans who love pre-paid phones were banned on the basis of intel from ASIO.

I think jimbo is understating things the contracts they are banned from are to do with the national broadband network quite possibly the most important national infrastructure project in the last 50-100 years so to be picky of whom they deal with is very smart.

Anyhoo.....

Nuclear Power is bad idea in any financial climate i think such things are obstructionist to make sure that alternative energies are rendered useless of course nothing to do with strong coal gas and oil lobbies in many western countries of course fucking not.