For the past two weeks, Chinese President Xi Jinping has been visiting European dignitaries. In late March, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez was the first European statesman to meet a Chinese leader after his summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow. French President Emmanuel Macron followed last week along with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. The only winner of these visits is Xi. Not only did he make no concessions on any issue of importance to European interests, from the Russian war to economic relations, but his European guests offered Xi Jinping a show of European and transatlantic unity, serving the Chinese leader an important strategic goal on a silver platter. and the move away from Europe's policy towards China is in disarray.
For the past two weeks, Chinese President Xi Jinping has been visiting European dignitaries. In late March, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez was the first European statesman to meet a Chinese leader after his summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow. French President Emmanuel Macron followed last week along with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. The only winner of these visits is Xi. Not only did he make no concessions on any issue of importance to European interests, from the Russian war to economic relations, but his European guests offered Xi Jinping a show of European and transatlantic unity, serving the Chinese leader an important strategic goal on a silver platter. and the move away from Europe's policy towards China is in disarray.
It is not how it suppose to be. The plan of European leaders was good in theory. They wanted to take advantage of the reopening after the end of China's "zero-COVID" regime and personally express Xi's important concerns, in particular the war with Russia. Macron invited von der Leyen to join him in Beijing to celebrate European unity and meet her for a pre-trip lunch in Paris. The French president apparently wanted to signal that he was a more committed European than German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who embarked on a solo trip to Beijing in November 2022 after rejecting Macron's proposal to go together. Von der Leyen did what she could to signal a firm European approach.
On March 30 in Brussels she gave to the bravestspeechany top European decision-maker on how to deal with Xi's China. The mere fact that the President of the European Commission decided to invite Berlin-based Merics, Europe's leading think tank on China, which has been subjected tosanctionsby the Chinese party-state in 2021 sent a clear message to Beijing. The speech itself was even clearer. Von der Leyen portrays a China that is "more repressive at home and more assertive abroad", where security and control prevail over all other concerns, and which is quick to apply political and economic coercion to try to take advantage of other countries' own dependencies. systematically encourages. She described a country that Xi is preparing for a prolonged brutal "fight" with the United States and that has a "clear goal" of "a systemic change of the international order with China at the center."
In support of his thesis, von der Leyen added that the recent "friendship demonstration in Moscow" says "a thousand words about this new vision of the international order." No other European leader has provided such a thorough overview of Xi's agenda. In the European response, von der Leyen outlined an ambitious "risk reduction" strategy that puts economic security at the center of relations with Beijing and includes a tool to monitor foreign investment in technologically sensitive areas. Just like in 2019 whenintroducedWith the notion of China as a "systemic competitor", the European Commission has once again pushed the boundaries of European policy towards China. But right away, China's ambassador to the EU, Fu Cong, expressed doubts that most member states were ready for the von der Leyen program. To him, it looked like "two people fighting each other", himcountedoNew York Timesmeaning "Europe has failed to formulate a coherent policy towards China."
Both Sánchez and Macron worked hard during their trips to China to prove Fu right. OnspeechAt the Boao Forum, China's version of Davos, the Spanish prime minister praised China for its belief in a "strong, transparent and rules-based multilateral system," directly contradicting what von der Leyen said about Beijing's vision for international order.
Given France's status as a permanent member of the United Nations and Europe's second-largest economic power, Macron could offset these remarks by clearly aligned with von der Leyen's risk-taking agenda. Instead, the French president decided to do everything he could to get von der Leyen out from under her during their joint visit to Beijing. Instead of taking risks, Macron clung to the illusion of reciprocity in economic relations with China, as if he had learned nothing from previous cases that he had pursued such an approach only to find that Beijing had failed. As for Russia, Macron has failed to extract any commitments that go far beyond the anti-nuclear declaration Scholz obtained from Xi in November. This is not surprising given Xi's determination to side with Putin to keep Russia as an ally in the fight against the United States.
But it's not like Macron went out of his way to signal that Beijing's support for a war with Russia violated Europe's "essential interest," to use the Chinese Communist Party's favorite term. Macron brought a 50-strong business delegation, four times the size of Scholz's delegation in November, for which he was criticized. Macron's delegation included:memberfrom Huawei France's board of directors and former Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin, who is the French equivalent of Gerhard Schröder selling out to Russian and Chinese interests. This is nothing more than a sign that, due to Russia's military support, relations between the EU and China are no longer as usual.
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Michael BarberBut it was in Taiwanese politics that Macron chose to do the most damage. Asked in Beijing about a meeting between Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen and the Speaker of the US House of Representatives Kevin McCarthy, Macronbrother-in-lawheroic formula: “I am neither Taiwan nor the United States. As a good Stoic, I can only handle what depends on me. You don't have to mix it up." This was his only major statement about stability in the Taiwan Strait in China. It flew into von der Leyen's facedeclarationin Beijing to Xi that "stabilization in the Taiwan Strait is of great importance" and that "the threat of using force to change the status quo is unacceptable." But Macron is not finished yet. Shortly after the farewell fireworks Macron received before launch, the People's Liberation Army launched a series of aggressive "sword sharpening" exercises around Taiwan in response to Ing-wen and McCarthy's meeting. On the way back, Macron gaveinterviewDoPolitical Europemicheck outCoaddedcarte blanche for Xi in Taiwan. Macron described Taiwan as a "crisis that is not ours" that Europeans must stay away from and not be "followers of America."
The will of the majority of Taiwanese, expressed in democratic elections, not to be ruled by Beijing is not in their thinking. While Xi made clear his determination to control Taiwan through increasingly aggressive actions, Macron appeared to hold the US solely responsible for the rising tensions across the Taiwan Strait. Macron seems foolish to assume that Europe can insulate itself from the war between China, Taiwan and the United States, and thus need not even try to stop Beijing from using force. But Europe, unable to deal with even a much smaller war at hand without US assistance, has no way of escaping the far more serious consequences of the US-China war. Undermines France's credibility by opposing key G7 statements on Taiwan (mainlyLatelyin August 2022), which was signed by France.
Perhaps most disturbingly, Macron does not seem to have any positive definition of French national interest and strategic goals for cross-strait stability other than simply following the US. His much-vaunted approach to France asbalancing power, or "balancing force", appears to be a balance solely against the United States. The irony is that Macron is right that Europe needs to chart its own course in China based on its own interests and invest in its own capabilities to achieve what he calls "European sovereignty." But by presenting its approach as purely anti-American. programme, further discredited the 'European sovereignty' approach in the eyes of many, especially in Central and Eastern Europe, who had previously been skeptical. A divided Europe benefits only Europe's enemies.
So now it's crucial that Europe goes into damage control mode. Although Macron's remarks were self-destructive and provocative, there is no reason for other European leaders to add fuel to the fire of public debate. Instead, they should calmly reaffirm the key principles on Taiwan set out in the G-7 declarations, also signed by the EU. At the same time, they must redirect the debate on von der Leyen's risk agenda. Most EU members are open to agreeing a "risk reduction, not decoupling" agenda with China. Germany plays a key role on the fronts. In November, Scholz wasOf courseat a press conference on Taiwan and human rights, including Xinjiang, which are not China's internal affairs. According to German diplomat Scholzdelivered"incredibly clear" message to Xi about the consequences of using force against Taiwan for bilateral economic relations. Scholz and Baerbock must try to get the rest of Europe to tacitly support such a program.rebirthagainst Beijing over Taiwan. Scholz himself has used the term "risk-avoidance" to refer to China, though he does not seem to want to act as decisively as von der Leyen on some fronts.
Constructing a coherent EU risk mitigation policy for China has become much more difficult after Macron's bleak trip to China. But this is the only way Europe can assert, in Macron's words, its "sovereignty." During his trip to Beijing, Baerbock must find ways to publicly endorse this risk mitigation program as well as the G7 and EU positions on Taiwan. But let's not hold our breath, it will make a big impression on Xi. As long as he can count on Macron as his best ally against a sovereign Europe defending its interests against an aggressive Beijing, he will just sit back, relax and enjoy the show.
FAQs
What is the relationship between China and Europe? ›
The EU and China are each other's largest trading partner as of 2023. The EU is the PRC's largest trading partner, and the PRC is the EU's largest trade partner. In 2020, China overtook the US in becoming the EU's largest trade partner in terms of goods. Most of this trade is in industrial and manufactured goods.
Why did China lag behind Europe? ›There were two major reasons why China began to lag behind the West during the past two centuries. First, the Chinese were arrogant and believed themselves to be superior to all other foreigners. Second, China had a conservative Confucian-based bureaucracy governing the state.
Is Europe dependent on China? ›For supply of rare earths, used in wind power generation, hydrogen storage or batteries, Europe is 98% dependent on China. For battery mineral lithium, the dependence is 97%, and for magnesium, one of the EU's 34 "critical raw materials", it is 93%.
When did China fall behind Europe? ›By 1300, China as a whole had fallen behind Italy in living standards and by 1400, England had also caught up with it but its wealthiest regions, especially the Yangzi Delta, may have remained on par with those of Europe until the early 18th century.
What did Europeans want from China how successful were they? ›However, the Chinese only wanted one thing from Europe—silver, mostly from mines in the Americas. Meanwhile Europeans wanted many products from China, such as tea, silk, and ceramics. Economically, this meant the Chinese profited from the silver trade while European countries did not.
Why is China united but not Europe? ›Europe is transected by mountain ranges that split up Europe into different principalities: the Alps, the Pyrenees, Carpathians — China does not have mountain ranges that transect China. In Europe big rivers flow radially — the Rhine, the Rhone, the Danube, and the Elbe — and they don't unify Europe.
Is China under European colonialism? ›Yes, China was colonized directly by Britain, Portugal, Russia, and China. Many other countries had control over trade in much of China.
Why couldn t Europe conquer China? ›During the European powers' attempt to control the world, the Chinese Empire was not easy to conquer as it had a powerful army and government like the Ottoman Empire. Its large size became an advantage, making it an elusive target for colonization.
Why didn t China colonise the world like the Europeans? ›China. Like the Ottoman Empire, Qing China was too large for any single European power to simply grab. Instead, Britain and France got a foothold through trade, which they then expanded through the First and Second Opium Wars.
Was Europe a backwater? ›Western Europe had always been a backwater because it lay such a long way from the real centres of action in Eurasia's lucky latitudes.
Is EU richer than China? ›
Since then the EU has become an economic and political force to reckon with. Its combined gross domestic product (GDP) stood at $16.6 trillion in 2022, after the U.S. ($26 trillion) and China ($19 trillion.)
Is America dependent on China? ›Yet America's import-dependence on China remains particularly disturbing. Congress should launch a moonshot effort to incentivize the rebuilding of domestic production for essential medicines, rare earth metals, electronics, and military equipment.
What countries are totally dependent on China? ›Similarly, South Korea, Taiwan, Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines, and Indonesia became dependent on China. Trade with China gained importance in their trade relationships in comparison to their conventional trade partners – Japan and the United States.
Why was Europe more advanced than China? ›1: the frequent conflicts and wars in Europe boosted the demand and supply for development of technology for warfare, whereas in China, India, Turkey, Japan, the Empires in their own universes had reached to the maximum too early that they already unified, achieved hegemony and economic prosperity and stability, then ...
Why did Europe become so powerful? ›Europe achieved world hegemony in the years after 1500 A.D., primarily due to technological advancements, scientific research, political development of nations with stable succession and continuity, and a culture dominated by Christianity.
When was China black? ›China Black – formed of Anglo-Chinese songwriter Simon Fung and black British singer and songwriter Errol Reid, formed in London in 1992 and they quickly released their debut single, “Searching”, that same year.
Who was the first European to rich China? ›But like all other seaborne ruffians, they wanted to trade for the rich silks and the other wonders of China. The Chinese came to call them folangji, a generic term used at the time to refer to Europeans. More specifically, they were the Portuguese, and they were the first Europeans to sail all the way to China.
What was China known as to Europeans? ›Cathay, Medieval European name for China.
What two products did China want from Europeans? ›The Europeans of course were not shipping the silver to China as an act of donation or charity. They were getting goods in return, such as silk, porcelain, and later especially tea. This opens in a new window.
Which country does not accept China? ›Bhutan is the only UN member state that has never explicitly recognised either the PRC or the ROC. The Republic of China considers itself to be the sole legitimate government of China (including Taiwan), and therefore claims exclusive sovereignty over all territory controlled by the PRC.
What does Europe think of the US? ›
In June 2022, when asked whether the United States was a reliable ally, 83 percent said yes. However, 53 percent said the United States was only a “somewhat” reliable ally—much more than the 30 percent who said the United States was “very” reliable. That finding was similar in a number of European countries.
Who accept China as a country first? ›Pakistan was one of the first countries that recognized the People's Republic of China. Over the years, the relationship has blossomed into an “All-Weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership”.
Who had control of China before European influence? ›From 206 to 220 CE, the Han Dynasty established the Chinese identity; Chinese people became known as People of Han or Han Chinese. The last dynasty, the Qing (Manchu) Dynasty, which ruled between 1644 and 1911, claimed control of a region including all of China, Mongolia, Southeast Asia, and Korea.
What country did China colonize? ›Under the Tang dynasty, China managed to maintain control over northern Vietnam and Korea. The Chinese Empire also managed to extend its control over Xinjiang and Central Asia, reaching as far west as the Aral Sea and Caspian Sea.
Did Japan colonized China? ›Seeking raw materials to fuel its growing industries, Japan invaded the Chinese province of Manchuria in 1931. By 1937 Japan controlled large sections of China, and war crimes against the Chinese became commonplace.
What happens if the US goes to war with China? ›A war would halt this trade (as well as American and allied shipments to China). U.S. supplies of many products could soon run low, paralyzing a vast range of businesses. It could take months to restore trade, and emergency rationing of some items would be needed.
What would America be like if it was never colonized? ›If Europeans never colonized and invaded America, the native nations and tribes would continue to interact in trade. What we see as the new world would be extremely diverse and the groups which live on the continent would become well-known peoples in the old world.
Could China have discovered America? ›By IANS: It was Christopher Columbus who discovered America but new evidence suggests the Chinese were exploring America at least a thousand years before Christ. Recently discovered ancient scripts suggest Chinese explorers may have discovered America long before the Europeans arrived there, Daily Mail reported.
Why didn t China find America? ›Firstly, it was easier for Europeans to cross the Atlantic than for Chinese to cross the Pacific. Secondly, Europeans were motivated by the desire to access China's legendary wealth whereas Chinese had no such incentive for exploration.
Why did Europe want China? ›Introduction. The primary motive of British imperialism in China in the nineteenth century was economic. There was a high demand for Chinese tea, silk and porcelain in the British market. However, Britain did not possess sufficient silver to trade with the Qing Empire.
What happens if Europe collapses? ›
A collapsed euro would likely compromise the Schengen Agreement, which allows free movement of people, goods, services, and capital. Each member country would need to reintroduce its national currency and the appropriate exchange rate for global trade.
What was the most powerful country in the world 1500? ›The country's other military forces were also strengthened. Spain was the wealthiest and most powerful country in the 1500s, according to this chapter. This was due to the fact that the county had American colonies, which supplied treasures and other valuables. To defend its ships, Spain created a strong navy.
How were Europeans able to conquer so much of the world? ›The states of Western Europe were simply better at making and using artillery, firearms, fortifications, and armed ships than other advanced parts of the world and they had this advantage long before 1800.
Will China surpass the US? ›There is still much work to be done to propel China to the top of the world's economy, but it is certainly possible that the Chinese economy can surpass the power of the US by 2050. It may also be too early to make definitive projections of China's future.
Is Russia richer than China? ›China dominates every aspect of the bilateral economic relationship, as a net exporter, net creditor and net investor, despite Russia long being a richer country than China.
Who has strongest economy in the world? ›According to the latest available data from the World Bank, the United States of America is currently the world's largest economy, with a GDP of over $23 trillion in 2021.
How much money does China owe the US? ›China's outstanding foreign debt, including US dollar debt, reached US$2.29 trillion at the end of September in 2020, up from US$2.13 trillion at the end of June, according to China's State Administration of Foreign Exchange.
What would happen if the US stopped importing from China? ›BEIJING — The U.S. economy could lose more than $1 trillion worth of production and long-term global competitiveness if the White House pursues a sharp separation with China, according to a report released Wednesday by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and Rhodium Group.
Why do we buy so much from China? ›However, the availability of cheap labor is just one of many factors that have kept the "Made in China" label on so many products purchased by consumers around the world. It will take more than low labor costs for emerging economies to set up a business ecosystem that can compete with China's.
Which country will surpass China in population? ›By the end of April, India's population is expected to reach 1.425 billion, which means it will match and then surpass mainland China's population, the U.N.'s Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) said. “China's population reached its peak size of 1.426 billion in 2022 and has started to fall.
Does the US need China? ›
It supports US jobs.
While expanding foreign trade can disrupt US employment, trade with China also creates and supports a significant number of American jobs. Exports to China support over 1 million US jobs, and Chinese companies invested in the United States employ over 160,000 workers.
The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) is a free trade agreement between the Asia-Pacific nations of Australia, Brunei, Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Japan, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, New Zealand, the Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand, and Vietnam.
Is China more advanced than the US now? ›In other words, on a proportional basis, China is now roughly 75 percent as advanced in innovation and advanced-industry production as the United States. If this relative growth continues apace, China will surpass the United States by 2035.
Is Europe reliant on China? ›For supply of rare earths, used in wind power generation, hydrogen storage or batteries, Europe is 98% dependent on China. For battery mineral lithium, the dependence is 97%, and for magnesium, one of the EU's 34 "critical raw materials", it is 93%.
When did Europe overtake China? ›It is about in the middle of 17th century that Europe began to overtake China.
What was the strongest country in Europe history? ›British Empire
Britain was the largest country in history and the biggest world power ever. By 1922, the British Empire had 458 million inhabitants, which was a fifth of the world's population, and covered more than 33 million km square, or a quarter of the Earth's globe.
Between 1492 and 1914, Europeans conquered 84 percent of the globe.
Does Europe have a superpower? ›The European Union (EU) has been called an emerging superpower by academics.
When did China find out about America? ›The Voyage of Zheng He I | 1421: The Year the Chinese Discovered America? In 2002, retired submarine commander Gavin Menzies presented a lecture in which he claimed a Chinese fleet under Admiral Zheng He began a series of voyages in 1421 that would ultimately discover the North American continent.
Where are China black from? ›Fung, who is British-Chinese ('China') and Reid, who has Jamaican heritage ('Black'). Their music is typified by heavy, lush string arrangements, gospel choirs, a dance/pop/reggae beat, pizzicato strings and mostly minor chord arrangements on piano.
What is the origin of the Chinese race? ›
According to the ROA, it is hypothesized that populations of early modern Homo sapiens migrated from Africa and entered the southern part of China around 60,000 years ago; they then dispersed northward. They replaced totally the indigenous human beings and they are the unique ancestors of the modern Chinese.
Did Europe ever try to colonize China? ›Yes, China was colonized directly by Britain, Portugal, Russia, and China. Many other countries had control over trade in much of China.
Was China ever the richest country? ›Thus Song China was the richest country in the world by GDP per capita at the turn of the millennium, by the 14th century parts of Europe caught up with it and the significant gap between China and Europe appeared by the middle of the 18th century.
What are Chinese Peruvians called? ›Chinese Peruvians, also known as tusán (a loanword from Chinese: 土生; pinyin: tǔ shēng; Jyutping: tou2 saang1; lit. 'local born'), are Peruvian citizens whose ancestors came from China. They are people of overseas Chinese ancestry born in Peru or who have made Peru their adopted homeland.
When was China more advanced than Europe? ›Unlike Europe, it was politically united for long periods during that time. During the Song dynasty (960–1279), the country experienced a revolution in agriculture, water transport, finance, urbanization, science and technology, which made the Chinese economy the most advanced in the world from about 1100.
What was China before China called? ›Over the centuries, Zhongguo was at times used in diplomatic dispatches to foreign vassal states but the dynastic name was still the official one. The first time Zhongguo was used as the Chinese nation's official name was in the Sino-Russian Treaty of Nerchinsk of 1689.
What did the Chinese want from the Europeans? ›China thus saw an increased European demand for their goods, such as tea, porcelains, and silks. The Portuguese, after gaining Macau, also expanded their efforts into Japan, where they began to trade things like firearms.
How did Europeans take over China? ›Colonialism first stepped into China after the victory of the British Navy in the first opium war (1839-42). This war is marked in history as the first in which steam-driven ships were used as the main force (Spence, J. D. 2013: 157).
Why did Europe come to dominate the rest of the world? ›Europe achieved world hegemony in the years after 1500 A.D., primarily due to technological advancements, scientific research, political development of nations with stable succession and continuity, and a culture dominated by Christianity.
What is China's relationship with foreign countries? ›China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), has full diplomatic relations with 179 out of the other 193 United Nations member states, Cook Islands, Niue and the State of Palestine. China has had the second most diplomatic missions of any state.
What did Europe want in China? ›
TRANSCRIPT: Traditionally in the West, we've always told the story the other way around, in which the key to the story is that the Europeans find this supply of silver, and the Europeans are the ones who want spices, silk, porcelain, et cetera.
What is the relationship between France and China? ›Growing trade relations between France and China. France and China are significant players in global trade and represent essential export markets for each other, with trade volumes reaching a record high in 2021.
What European countries controlled China? ›The major European nations of the time (Britain, France, Portugal, and Germany) played a significant role in imperialism in China. As well, other important nations that carried out expansion into China included Russia and Japan.
Who would win US vs China? ›Geographically, China enjoys a great advantage in a potential conflict with the U.S. in the South and East China seas. Notably, China would be able to support its warships logistically in terms of fuel and ammunition, provide combat repair facilities nearby and move sailors on and off their ships with ease.
Do any countries not recognize China? ›Bhutan is the only UN member state that has never explicitly recognised either the PRC or the ROC. The Republic of China considers itself to be the sole legitimate government of China (including Taiwan), and therefore claims exclusive sovereignty over all territory controlled by the PRC.
Which country has good relationship with China? ›China entered into diplomatic relations with Malaysia, Thailand, the Philippines, Bangladesh and Maldives in Southeast Asia and South Asia, seven countries including Iran, Turkey and Kuwait in West Asia and the Middle East and five countries in South Pacific such as Fiji and Papua New Guinea.
Who is China's biggest trading partner? ›- United States: US$582.8 billion (16.2% of China's total exports)
- Hong Kong: $297.5 billion (8.3%)
- Japan: $172.9 billion (4.8%)
- South Korea: $162.6 billion (4.5%)
- Vietnam: $147 billion (4.1%)
- India: $118.5 billion (3.3%)
- Netherlands: $117.7 billion (3.3%)
- Germany: $116.2 billion (3.2%)
Europe achieved world hegemony in the years after 1500 A.D., primarily due to technological advancements, scientific research, political development of nations with stable succession and continuity, and a culture dominated by Christianity.
Is there a big Chinese population in France? ›The Chinese diaspora in France consists of people of Chinese ancestry who were born in or immigrated to France. The ethnic Chinese population in France is estimated to be about 600,000-700,000, making it the largest overseas Chinese community in Europe.
What is the relationship between China and Germany? ›Trade. Germany is China's biggest trading partner and technology exporter in Europe. China is Germany's largest trading partner, superseding the United States since 2017. The trade volume between China and Germany surpassed 100 billion U.S. dollars in 2008.
What part of China did France own? ›
The Leased Territory of Guangzhouwan, officially the Territoire de Kouang-Tchéou-Wan, was a territory on the coast of Zhanjiang in China leased to France and administered by French Indochina. The capital of the territory was Fort-Bayard, present-day Zhanjiang.
What is the most Westernized country in Asia? ›The visitor to Metro Manila commonly sees the Philippines as the most westernized of Asian countries and in many ways, it is. But there is also a rich underlay of Malay culture beneath the patina of Spanish and American heritage.
What problem did Britain have with China? ›Beyond the health problems related to opium addiction, the increasing opium trade with the Western powers meant that for the first time, China imported more goods than it exported. Settling this financial problem eventually led to the First Opium War between Great Britain and China, from 1839 to 1842.
Was ancient China more advanced than Europe? ›The agriculture of China was more advanced and productive than that of Europe because of the great use of irrigation: and the wide network of canals that supplied water for irrigation also provided cheap transport.