The race to move beyond lithium-ion
 

"Much of the science behind those batteries originally came from America (ironically, the labs of ExxonMobil, America’s biggest oil company), but it was Japan’s Sony that first commercialized them in 1991. America is now in a race to catch up with Japan and South Korea, the two front-runners, though China is also a strong competitor. “The Asians are ten years ahead of us,” says Mr Hillebrand."

Nov. 2016 article:

The race to move beyond lithium-ion | The Economist

And when A123 went into bankruptcy, Congress let it go to a Chinese company instead of an American one.

For the last century the US had led in technological development, with Germany a close competitor in the first half of the last century. Basically that means the US does all the costly development then the rest can just imitate the latest development. From a strictly financial perspective, which is the better strategy?

I have a technological development ready for testing and implementation, yet get no interest in the US, much more in China or other more energy challenged countries, incidentally China generally ignores global patent protection. Especially within their own borders. You rarely hear about the US stealing Chinese or Russian "trade secrets".

China "generally ignores patent laws? You're too kind. Name one time they have honored intellectual property? For those crimes, China should lose it's Most Favored Nation trade status. If they can't play nice in the "international sandbox", they shouldn't be allowed to play with others.

China gets away with it, because US companies are tripping over themselves to sell their products to such a huge new market. That's why the US gov't turns a blind eye to China's patent thefts. They don't want to make waves for US companies.

Trump is right. The Chinese have out negotiated the world. For example, the price to build/sell foreign cars in China was to adopt a Chinese business partner. I forget the specifics, but after being schooled with car manufacturing one Chinese partner has now started their wholly-owned, Chinese car company.

Who could blame the Chinese? If the US isn't going to put teeth into pressing China to honor/enforce intellectual property laws, why blame the "thief" if we "leave our doors unlocked"?

Personally, I don't think the Chinese gov't can police the problem. Any culture that nurtures the belief that it's okay to poison baby milk with melamine, so it will pass protein nutritional testing, is a morally bankrupt society.

I believe the Chinese moral bankruptcy stems from China officially being an atheist society. Christianity is largely the foundation of western morality. And, whether or not you believe in "my imaginary friend", most of us generally operate from the same morality "playbook" with a basic sense of fair play.

The Chinese business mindset thinks little about the long term. The Chinese play a short game. For example, look at all the over building of the Chinese real estate market. For short term economic gain, brand new cities are constructed yet nobody lives there. Another example of short term thinking... the pollution is SO bad in China, at the current pace according to a Chinese gov't report, there will be ZERO safe drinking water by 2030.

I can cite specific anecdotal business stories that were told to me, but this post is already getting too long.

One of those spiking baby formula was sentenced to life, and two to death.

They got off too lightly. They should've wiped out the family name 3 generations deep and all relations once removed, such as uncles, aunts, and cousins. Then say, "I won't be SO nice next time."

What do you think would have happened to them in the US?

Any negotiation MUST assume "good faith" by both parties, or it's not legitimate.
US scrap yards will be full of Chinese made "junk" in a short time, if not already.
Too many reports of lead in children's toys. Drywall with toxic contents that makes people sick and their new homes condemned.

I resist buying Chinese unless there is no other option.