Cool motorsport stuff in China?

[G.Irish]

It was news to me that they have some pretty interesting laws for foreign companies. For example: Audi wants to sell their shit in China - and it's indeed popular there. Audi then has to partner with a Chinese manufacturer - not sure of the exact relationship/requirements, but the intent is for knowledge sharing. Not cool, but not a bad idea when you have as much
ground to cover as China. It was news to me, and I wonder how far such policies go.

Yeah it's a great deal for the Chinese but I have to wonder what price foreign firms will pay in the future. China does that kind of deal for all manner of technology businesses from electronics to aircraft and I think it even goes as far as some defense technologies.

Of course, getting access to knowledge and properly taking advantage of it are not the same thing. When the Chinese auto industry ramps up it's not a given that the knowledge sharing will allow them outcompete the foreign partners, at least not globally. I think what China will end up doing is giving their domestic manufacturers huge advantages against foreign firms once they come of age.