IBM Sale to Chinese Worries Feds

[truthpusher]

http://abclocal.go.com/wtvd/news/012405_NW_ibmespionage.html

IBM Sale to Chinese Worries Feds

By Darla Miles

(01/24/05 -- RALEIGH) — Communist spies and industrial espionage -- elements usually found in Hollywood. But the U.S. government is concerned that it could happen in the Research Triangle Park.
When IBM sold its $1.75 billion PC division to the Chinese company Lenovo, it signaled a rebirth for the struggling Big Blue unit.

"They've been losing sales to producers like Dell," said Dr. Mike Walden, and N.C. State University economist.

It was salvation for IBM employees, but the sale raised a red flag in Washington. The departments of Homeland Security, Justice and the Treasury must sign off on the deal before it is final. Officials are concerned that IBM offices in the Triangle could be used by Chinese spies.

(snip)

Experts say the Chinese government has a reputation for trying aggressively to find ways of exploiting international business deals for military purposes. They also say that IBM has a good track record for being very careful and preventing it from happening.

http://abclocal.go.com/wtvd/news/012405_NW_ibmespionage.html

[Virginian]

1. Huh?

"It was salvation for IBM employees, "

I don't get it? How could it be salvation for the IBM employees who will probably soon lose their jobs to cheap foreign labor markets. Why would the Chinese keep expensive American workers when they have a much cheaper labor pool close to home?

[MeDeMax]

3. already using parts from overseas, my guess is...

most of the components used in PCs except the main processor are already made abroad (taiwan I would guess), the jobs in IBM's unit probably have to do with sales, marketing, inventory management & may be support.

China is not a major player in the highly competitive PC market by purchasing this unit they get a foothold in the business and get to showoff an association with a mega tech giant.

The employees are probably happy that the unit will continue to do business and therefore retain its workforcce as opposed to dissolving the unit and auctioning its assets.

[physioex]

5. Check again....

The main processor is also made abroad....

[high density]

2. "Good track record"

I guess we can forgive that stuff they sold to the Nazis, eh?

[genieroze]

4. IBM sold stuff to the Nazi's?

[VegasWolf]

8. Yes. It's been well documented. I don't think that even IBM denys it.n/t

[UL_Approved]

6. Outsourcing will end us, like the Roman Empire

Rome began to outsource it agriculture to conquered lands in a large scale plan late in the empire. Within 2-3 generations, the Roman Empire had collapsed. This "free trade", "globalization", and "outsourcing" were tried nearly 2000 years ago, and resulted in the obliteration of the superpower of that time. We really need to study history...

[thecrow]

7. Well, you know our fearless leader

wants to take us back to the times of the Romans and Christians.