China To Relax Console Sale Ban

[Karloff]

China To Relax Console Sale Ban

But the Ministry of Culture wants a word before anything goes on sale.

China's been gearing up to this for a while [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/125860-China-Prepares-to-End-Console-Ban], and is about to take the plunge: game consoles will be available for sale in the Shanghai Free Trade Zone. The Zone - made up of the Shanghai Waigaoqiao Free trade zone, Waigaoqiao bonded logistics zone, Shanghai Yangshan bonded port area and Shanghai Pudong airport - is about 11 square miles in Pudong, and is part of China's ongoing effort to transform Shangai into the next global financial hub. It's not just about games, it's about trade, and the new FTZ is intended as much for financial services as it is for goods and manufactures.

The news comes courtesy of a reached an agreement [http://www.gov.cn/zwgk/2013-09/27/content_2496147.htm]; it's likely that Microsoft knew this day was coming. Joint ventures, like the Microsoft-BesTV agreement, are the only way a foreign company can do business in the FTZ, and there are limits on how much stock ownership of the venture a foreign company can have.

But even with those limitations, China's a huge market for any manufacturer or provider of services. To get into the FTZ, and thus have access to all those customers, is a dream come true for the likes of Sony, Nintendo, and Microsoft. There are billions at stake, and the only question now is, just how much restriction the Culture Ministry intends to put on the new FTZ gaming market.

Source: Hollywood Reporter [http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/china-lift-ban-sales-video-638218]


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[Ed130 The Vanguard]

I guess money trumps communism after all huh?

Actually I'm not even sure China could be considered a communist country anymore, it seems more of a totalitarian mixed with the worst parts of capitalism now.

 

[Antari]

Considering they make most of the parts that go into the consoles it really isn't odd they have ended the ban.

 

[TiberiusEsuriens]

Considering they make most of the parts that go into the consoles it really isn't odd they have ended the ban.

I would disagree there a bit. As far as economics go, buy banning the purchase of foreign [console] goods China kept more of its national income inside the country. By allowing the purchase of consoles, even though they are homemade, that cash flow will move out of the country to Microsoft/Sony. The factory workers will get paid the same amount regardless of who buys their product.

That's just looking at consoles though. When considering the potential effects in the future, this is a big deal because the international economy could slowly see a small influx in money. Just like physics, the Chinese 'floodgates' are slowly being lifted, allowing the higher density/pressure of currency in China to equalize outside. In stupid people terms, China (that country that holds 1/3rd of the world population) is learning to share. On their side of things, even if they 'lose money' to the global economy in the long run this shared responsibility will stabilize the internal economy as well.

 

[flarty]

Capitalism: Bringing freedom to a dictatorship near you!

Really? I'm sure many wouldn't agree in the middle east.

 

[ExtraDebit]

Been in china for years, never had problems buying a console or games, even pirated ones.

 

[Ed130 The Vanguard]

Capitalism: Bringing freedom to a dictatorship near you!

Really? I'm sure many wouldn't agree in the middle east.

I think you messed up the quotes.

And beside Arab Spring was more 'Fuck this Shit' combined with social media.

 

[flarty]

Capitalism: Bringing freedom to a dictatorship near you!

Really? I'm sure many wouldn't agree in the middle east.

I think you messed up the quotes.

And beside Arab Spring was more 'Fuck this Shit' combined with social media.

No I didn't mess up the quotes. Nearly every country in the middle east that has western intervention suffers from dictators, corrupt kings are massive in fighting. Introducing "free markets" to these countries did often not result in freedom for it citizens, more often than not the citizens now live in fear of terrorist attacks, public executions and the leeching of their natural resources. E.G Iraq, Libya, Syria, Afghanistan. They are just recent examples, If you want, go back to when the concept of "free markets" was first coined and you can check out the dictator Pinochet from Chile who committed many crimes against humanity, yet still a friend of the US and UK because he wasn't a commie. Then theres the Argentine junta who executed pregnant women after they gave birth to their children for daring to demonstrate against the junta. But alas those free markets where multi national corporations can thrive and capitalism brings freedom to the people of that country.

In other words theres been just as many capitalist dictators as socialist ones and some dictators have actually improved the quality of life for people massively, read up about Castro and Cuba.

 

[Ed130 The Vanguard]

-snip-

And I stated in my original post that China, wasn't a capitalist country as such, it had just adopted the worst aspects of it combined with totalitarianism.

If you are going to shove words into my mouth at least make up you own, my 're-worded' quote was copied word for word from [user]The Plunk[/user]'s post as shown below.

I've also heard that the Great Firewall will be lifted in the Shanghai Free Trade Zone, too.

Capitalism: Bringing freedom to a dictatorship near you!

 

[marurder]

Despite the ho-hah about the announcement, in reality nothing is changing at all.

 

[flarty]

-snip-

And I stated in my original post that China, wasn't a capitalist country as such, it had just adopted the worst aspects of it combined with totalitarianism.

If you are going to shove words into my mouth at least make up you own, my 're-worded' quote was copied word for word from [user]The Plunk[/user]'s post as shown below.

I've also heard that the Great Firewall will be lifted in the Shanghai Free Trade Zone, too.

Capitalism: Bringing freedom to a dictatorship near you!

Oh yeah, sorry don't know how i fucked that up.

Are you accusing me of plagiarism or saying i need to create a new language?

 

[Strazdas]

So you caught this infection too china? my condolences.

I guess money trumps communism after all huh?

Actually I'm not even sure China could be considered a communist country anymore, it seems more of a totalitarian mixed with the worst parts of capitalism now.

china was never a communist country. no country ever were a communist country. in fact if we go to basic communism the term "Communist country" doesnt even make sense.

China was ans still is a dictatorial capitalist country.

 

[Ed130 The Vanguard]

So you caught this infection too china? my condolences.

I guess money trumps communism after all huh?

Actually I'm not even sure China could be considered a communist country anymore, it seems more of a totalitarian mixed with the worst parts of capitalism now.

china was never a communist country. no country ever were a communist country. in fact if we go to basic communism the term "Communist country" doesnt even make sense.

China was ans still is a dictatorial capitalist country.

Well, the ruling (and only) political party of China's government is the Communist Party of China and still believes itself to be committed to 'communism and Marxism-Leninism' they still believe they are.

And yes, the whole communism naming ideal is sort of wonky.

 

[Strazdas]

So you caught this infection too china? my condolences.

I guess money trumps communism after all huh?

Actually I'm not even sure China could be considered a communist country anymore, it seems more of a totalitarian mixed with the worst parts of capitalism now.

china was never a communist country. no country ever were a communist country. in fact if we go to basic communism the term "Communist country" doesnt even make sense.

China was ans still is a dictatorial capitalist country.

Well, the ruling (and only) political party of China's government is the Communist Party of China and still believes itself to be committed to 'communism and Marxism-Leninism' they still believe they are.

And yes, the whole communism naming ideal is sort of wonky.

If i name myself "flying strazdas" that does not mean i actually fly.
Soviets suceeded in pretending to be communist by blatantly lied to the rest of the world and ruining the image of communism, and China continues to do that. Ah, what people wont to do hide thier totalitariant autocracy.

 

[Lictor Face]

"Consoles will be available for sale in the Shanghai Free Trade Zone. The Zone is about 11 square miles"

Whilst the central Shanghai isn't exactly as autonomous as somewhere like, say, Honk Kong it's still not exactly equal to the rest of mainland China. This feels to me more like testing the waters in a very affluent, open part of a very populous and increasingly independently minded city. I imagine many people will have already been importing consoles/ games from the rest of Asia in a way completely unregulated by the Chinese government.

This is more an acceptance of reality then it is a mindful more towards progress. The PRC still thinks 'western' videogames have great potential to undermine their propaganda, carefully constructed cultural norms and miss-trusts them as a new and subversive art form.

Well Hong Kong isn't a part of China at all. Although it could be said, at how China exerts its influence and strength over it, it may as well be part of China.

You were right about the undermining propaganda thing though. Video games are a fairly potent mass media for young adults especially.

 

[Ed130 The Vanguard]

If i name myself "flying strazdas" that does not mean i actually fly.
Soviets suceeded in pretending to be communist by blatantly lied to the rest of the world and ruining the image of communism, and China continues to do that. Ah, what people wont to do hide thier totalitariant autocracy.

You mean call themselves Democratic People's Republic of XXXX?

Yes Minister sums it up well.

Sir Humphrey: East Yemen, isn't that a democracy?
Foreign Office Official: Its full name is the Peoples' Democratic Republic of East Yemen.
Sir Humphrey: Ah I see, so it's a communist dictatorship.

 

[Strazdas]

If i name myself "flying strazdas" that does not mean i actually fly.
Soviets suceeded in pretending to be communist by blatantly lied to the rest of the world and ruining the image of communism, and China continues to do that. Ah, what people wont to do hide thier totalitariant autocracy.

You mean call themselves Democratic People's Republic of XXXX?

Yes Minister sums it up well.

Sir Humphrey: East Yemen, isn't that a democracy?
Foreign Office Official: Its full name is the Peoples' Democratic Republic of East Yemen.
Sir Humphrey: Ah I see, so it's a communist dictatorship.

this is the second time i see Yes Minister referenced this week, what is that thing?

 

[Ed130 The Vanguard]

You mean call themselves Democratic People's Republic of XXXX?

Yes Minister sums it up well.

Sir Humphrey: East Yemen, isn't that a democracy?
Foreign Office Official: Its full name is the Peoples' Democratic Republic of East Yemen.
Sir Humphrey: Ah I see, so it's a communist dictatorship.

this is the second time i see Yes Minister referenced this week, what is that thing?

A 1980's British sitcom satirising the political life of a MP in a ministerial role.

Much of the humour is derived from the Cabinet Ministers who think they run the country and the Civil Service who really run it.

And the odd joke at the voters as well.

Hacker: Don't tell me about the press. I know exactly who reads the papers: the Daily Mirror is read by people who think they run the country; The Guardian is read by people who think they ought to run the country; The Times is read by people who actually do run the country; the Daily Mail is read by the wives of the people who run the country; the Financial Times is read by people who own the country; The Morning Star is read by people who think the country ought to be run by another country; and The Daily Telegraph is read by people who think it is.
Sir Humphrey: Prime Minister, what about the people who read The Sun?
Bernard: Sun readers don't care who runs the country, as long as she's got big tits.

Spoiler

Eventually Hacker becomes Prime Minister.