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Intel removes Xinjiang references from shareholder letter

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11–20 of 414 posts

Re: Intel removes Xinjiang references from shareholder letter

#11

We were happy to embrace the philosophy of sociopathic capitalist companies when it meant getting our cheap electronics built in factories with suicide nets. Now that it means giant companies care more about China's opinion than ours we want to posture about loyalty and moral responsibility.

I don't recall anyone but the investor class being happy to embrace offshoring. But it took the economist and investor class the longest to realize the drawbacks that others knew instinctively. And now you use "we" to describe their opinion and lobbying?

Re: Intel removes Xinjiang references from shareholder letter

#12

We were happy to embrace the philosophy of sociopathic capitalist companies when it meant getting our cheap electronics built in factories with suicide nets. Now that it means giant companies care more about China's opinion than ours we want to posture about loyalty and moral responsibility.

Or maybe we're generally okay with these companies exploiting the Chinese to our benefit, but not with China exploiting the resulting situation to theirs.

Re: Intel removes Xinjiang references from shareholder letter

#15
post #8
post #5

Say what you want about China, but their ability to weaponize capitalism and make multi-billion dollar companies cower and self-censor in ways they would never do for Western governments is remarkable. "When it comes time to hang the capitalists, they will vie with each other for the rope contract".

Intel shareholders can now vote to ensure Intel takes a stand against China, if they choose. But it seems those individuals do not want that. So Intel is doing what it is supposed to do -- operate in accordance with wishes of the shareholders.

Counterpoint: the human beings that run Intel are not "supposed to" do everything possible to make their shareholder more money, regardless of the cost. I accept that they're going to do that, but there's nothing forcing them to, there's just a general cultural acceptance of greed.

Re: Intel removes Xinjiang references from shareholder letter

#16

Name and shame. We need to divest our manufacturing from China. Perhaps by exposing such practices and nagging hypocrytical companies we can make divestment happen sooner? Twitter mobs could be used for good once.

Divestment will be a years long process, and it will only happen if we publish a schedule of annually increasing tariffs across all Chinese imports.

Or tax incentivize final manufacture of finished goods in the US for high value and strategic goods (semiconductors, electronics, mechanical equipment, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, agricultural equipment, etc.)

Make a policy like,

   """
   Companies that onshore will pay the following taxes 
   for the next 25 years if they follow our onshoring 
   program: 

   company profits: 0% tax rate

   CEO capital gains: 1% tax rate

   shareholder capital gains: 2% tax rate

   Also, companies can transfer international profits 
   back to the US at a rate of up to $10B a year with
   no taxation.
   """
First make it apply to 10% or some low critical threshold of products, but then ramp it up annually. Over ten years, the percentage should be closer to 50% for companies to remain in compliance and to receive the tax advantaged status.

Don't punish China and make them angry. Reward US manufacturing activities handsomely.

Call your legislators and ask for this. They'll be into the tax thing.

An interesting side effect: companies that manufacture in the US will be worth significantly more. They can use their valuation to make continued investments: loans, acquisitions, hiring, etc.

Re: Intel removes Xinjiang references from shareholder letter

#17
post #5

Say what you want about China, but their ability to weaponize capitalism and make multi-billion dollar companies cower and self-censor in ways they would never do for Western governments is remarkable. "When it comes time to hang the capitalists, they will vie with each other for the rope contract".

Intel wouldn’t massage the wording of their shareholder report to avoid criticism from the American public? I’m skeptical. They almost certainly have review processes designed to anticipate and prevent that from happening in the first place.

Now they have better review processes.

Its pretty clear what happened, Intel doesn't have an aggregate stance on anything, US legal saw the new US federal law regarding Xinjiang and wanted it included in US securities regulatory risk statements and also needed that in circulars. That happened, then reality set in that there are consequences - something lawmakers are shielded from - and at that point Intel took a look at the circumstance holistically and reworded it.

Companies are going to have to hire geopolitical experts to play cross cultural word games now that they are being saddled with it the consequences.

Re: Intel removes Xinjiang references from shareholder letter

#18
post #8
post #5

Say what you want about China, but their ability to weaponize capitalism and make multi-billion dollar companies cower and self-censor in ways they would never do for Western governments is remarkable. "When it comes time to hang the capitalists, they will vie with each other for the rope contract".

Intel shareholders can now vote to ensure Intel takes a stand against China, if they choose. But it seems those individuals do not want that. So Intel is doing what it is supposed to do -- operate in accordance with wishes of the shareholders.

> Intel shareholders can now vote to ensure Intel takes a stand against China, if they choose. But it seems those individuals do not want that.

Good question, who are Intel shareholders?

Re: Intel removes Xinjiang references from shareholder letter

#19
post #5

Say what you want about China, but their ability to weaponize capitalism and make multi-billion dollar companies cower and self-censor in ways they would never do for Western governments is remarkable. "When it comes time to hang the capitalists, they will vie with each other for the rope contract".

Who do you think taught them how to do that?

Re: Intel removes Xinjiang references from shareholder letter

#20
post #8
post #5

Say what you want about China, but their ability to weaponize capitalism and make multi-billion dollar companies cower and self-censor in ways they would never do for Western governments is remarkable. "When it comes time to hang the capitalists, they will vie with each other for the rope contract".

Intel shareholders can now vote to ensure Intel takes a stand against China, if they choose. But it seems those individuals do not want that. So Intel is doing what it is supposed to do -- operate in accordance with wishes of the shareholders.

Those shareholders are going to sell to shareholders that have other priorities.

Fun in theory but too bad only Americans tolerate those PE multiples. So, look out below!

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