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A Japanese factory that produces polyvinylidene fluoride substrate for 70% of the lithium-ion batteries on earth – and all the batteries for Apple’s iPad – was destroyed in the March 11 Sendai Earthquake and Tsunami. Kureha Corp. says it was “already thinking about shifting some of our production to the States and China. We will now accelerate these plans."  A move will be a loss to Japan -- and ideally, the plant should remain there -- but if it must move, let's hope most of the operations come to the U.S. -- not to China.

Washington POst columnist Michael Gerson - reporting from Malawi - sees little but Chinese construction across the skyline of Lilongwe, the Malawian capital.  He muses that China is amassing far more 'soft power' than the U.S.

China’s African investments: Who benefits?  http://www.washingtonpost.com/2011/03/28/AF8G7mqB_story.html 

A Chinese resident of Washington state pled guilty in federal court to charges he attempted to ship 300 Xilinx radiation-hardened programmable semiconductor devices to an unnamed Chinese purchaser. In return for his guilty plea, Yang will remain free on his own recognizance until his sentencing June 30.  Possible flight risk, eh?

“Woodinville man pleads guilty to attempted sale of banned technology to China,” (Seattle Times) March 26 at http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2014590785_yangplea26m.html

Zippo Lighters last a lifetime and have a lifetime guarantee, so it’s not surprising that Zippo repairs 100,000 ancient lighters a year. But China makes 12 million fake “Rippos” a year, most bearing counterfeit Zippo trademarks, which find their ways to Zippo’s repair shops.  This front page "A-head" in the WSJ is a parable about the metastization of China's galactic counterfeit industry across the global economy.