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Chinese Cash Is Suddenly Toxic in Silicon Valley, Following U.S. Pressure

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71–80 of 311 posts

Re: Chinese Cash Is Suddenly Toxic in Silicon Valley, Following U.S. Pressure

#71
post #49

For those who claimed Chinese cash is toxic, let me ask you an important question: what about Softbank's cash that primarily coming from Saudi? What about the Ivy League schools' endowment money donated by "morally unethical"(including but not limited to middle east) sources? Are you not going to send your children to Ivy League schools?

I think the assertion that Chinese cash is toxic is not so much because of bad things that Chinese do to their own citizens; it looks like the point you're trying to make is that Saudis : Khashoggi and gay people :: China : Uyghurs and Tiananmen, or something of that nature. Rather, the claim of toxicity stems from the perceived tendency for Chinese investors to be difficult LPs and steal intellectual property both p…

No reason for this to be downvoted.

IP theft/strongarming and sales opportunities are the more likely concerns from the entrepreneur/business side.

Some people are taking the moral stance, but TFA lines up with parent comment well

Re: Chinese Cash Is Suddenly Toxic in Silicon Valley, Following U.S. Pressure

#72

Good. We raised Series A from Chinese investors a few years ago and they were toxic. Not to mention the political implications of enriching countries like China and Saudi Arabia. In hindsight would have rather closed up shop than taken their money.

Could you elaborate? What made it toxic?

Their personalities and expectations were toxic. They didn't understand what they invested in and were pissed when we couldn't grow a high-touch business like a pure software business. No pleasant or helpful interactions, just rage.

Re: Chinese Cash Is Suddenly Toxic in Silicon Valley, Following U.S. Pressure

#73

Earlier quoted context omitted.

And US venture capital cares about feeding starving children in Africa and other ways to make the world a better place?

That's just a tu quoque fallacy, as venture capital being indifferent to making the world a better place does not mean it is ethical to do business with China.

“does not mean it is ethical to do business with China.”

what kind of business?

Re: Chinese Cash Is Suddenly Toxic in Silicon Valley, Following U.S. Pressure

#74

Writer of the article here. Totally get the frustrations with paywalls. Bottom line is feature stories like this take weeks, months, sometimes a year or more to produce. Sites without paywalls have to go for clicks (which are worth close to zero now that Google/Facebook gobble up most online ad budgets). If low value clicks are all you have, you end up like dailymail.co.uk. If you want high value news, you have to pa…

Ha, good line. Thanks for hopping in to engage here, where paywalls are met with hostility. I appreciate both sides of this argument. But thanks especially for the reporting!

My pleasure. And btw: the best way to support the news is to share really good tips! Always on Signal for that as you can see from my Twitter handle: @rolfewinkler. ;)

Re: Chinese Cash Is Suddenly Toxic in Silicon Valley, Following U.S. Pressure

#75
post #49

For those who claimed Chinese cash is toxic, let me ask you an important question: what about Softbank's cash that primarily coming from Saudi? What about the Ivy League schools' endowment money donated by "morally unethical"(including but not limited to middle east) sources? Are you not going to send your children to Ivy League schools?

"Toxic" in this case isn't referring to morally questionable - it's referring to "nobody wants it". There are many sources of cash (most of them, probably) that some people would consider morally questionable. People still want most of them. The article is referring to a phenomena that's a level up from that, where the cash brings with it enough practical problems that it's not worth taking.

Re: Chinese Cash Is Suddenly Toxic in Silicon Valley, Following U.S. Pressure

#76

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There's no legal basis. It's just Xenophobia.

Sinophoia, rather than xenophobia

Sinophobia, to quote Snicket, is a word which in this sentence means, not wanting to do business with China for national security and geopolitical reasons having nothing to do with race.

Re: Chinese Cash Is Suddenly Toxic in Silicon Valley, Following U.S. Pressure

#77

Writer of the article here. Totally get the frustrations with paywalls. Bottom line is feature stories like this take weeks, months, sometimes a year or more to produce. Sites without paywalls have to go for clicks (which are worth close to zero now that Google/Facebook gobble up most online ad budgets). If low value clicks are all you have, you end up like dailymail.co.uk. If you want high value news, you have to pa…

tibaiiplus , Thanks for an excellent article.

Are you planning any follow-ups on this topic? If so, would you like to be contacted with possible leads?

Re: Chinese Cash Is Suddenly Toxic in Silicon Valley, Following U.S. Pressure

#78
I'd be more concerned about Chinese financing of Hollywood. Nearly every big-budget production these days has Chinese co-producers. This leads to farcical episodes like the remake of Red Dawn featuring feeble North Korea as the villain rather than China as originally envisioned.

Re: Chinese Cash Is Suddenly Toxic in Silicon Valley, Following U.S. Pressure

#79

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Could you elaborate? What made it toxic?

Their personalities and expectations were toxic. They didn't understand what they invested in and were pissed when we couldn't grow a high-touch business like a pure software business. No pleasant or helpful interactions, just rage.

To be fair, toxic business relationships are far from exclusive to China.

Re: Chinese Cash Is Suddenly Toxic in Silicon Valley, Following U.S. Pressure

#80
post #50

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Nah, nobody is complaining about Taiwanese or Japanese investment, so that is moot point, mostly made by Chinese from the continent when things don't go their way.

> Nah, nobody is complaining about Taiwanese or Japanese investment, so that is moot point... FYI: xenophobia =\= racism

I don't understand the point of this FYI. GP's logic applies to both and answers both.
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