Especificación de Casos de Uso del Sistema

China’s dependence on foreign countries is gradually growing through its sharp increase in imports. Yet, through a network of regulations anchored in extremely exhaustive economic legislation, the People’s Republic of China ensures in accordance with a polarity norm³⁹—“self-reliance as fundamental, striving after foreign assistance as secondary,” and maintaining one’s “economic security” ( jingji anquan)—that the many foreign companies in China in all phases of their development are ultimately subject to Chinese control, and, for example, are never able to exert a determining influence on Chinese domestic or foreign policy. Foreign political lobbyists are unheard of in the People’s Republic of China.

Through high rates of local content, which are written into joint ventures, in other words, the compulsion to produce a progressively higher proportion of product parts on site in China as each year goes by, the transfer of know-how is curbed, dependence on foreign imports reduced, jobs created, and China’s self-sufficiency increased. Prudently operating without Exxon Mobil and Shell, who had pushed for inclusion, PetroChina, the world’s fourth largest oil group in terms of reserves, is producing the 4,000-kilometer-long gas pipeline to Shanghai (Finanz€n, Munich, no. 4, April 1, 2004, pp. 33–4). With its currency policy, too, the People’s Republic of China guarantees that it cannot be troubled by foreign crises, in other words, it cannot be forced away from its role as “host” in the Chinese economy. Despite all these measures aimed at securing the

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“host” role, the Chinese complain about the successful application of stratagem 30 by foreign companies. For instance, they establish joint ventures with Chinese partners that have a famous Chinese brand name, who then become the owner of the trademark concerned.

Later, the foreign partners in the joint venture ensure that the Chinese trademark is put on ice and replaced with the foreign trademark, which inherits the old trademark’s customer base (Li, pp. 322ff.).

Stratagem 31:

The stratagem of the beautiful man/woman Adonis/Venus trap; sex or decoy stratagem; corruption stratagem.

This stratagem usually relates to beautiful women.

From a Chinese standpoint, in the past this stratagem was used not by beautiful women of their own volition, but rather by men who used them to achieve their goals. The women were therefore usually instruments, rather than players, in this stratagem.

The thinking whereby cunning is first and foremost a weapon of the weak, and therefore of women, is far less widespread in China than it is in the West. It may be that in the West men created this myth, in order to divert attention away from their own cunning. In examples of stratagems from present-day China, however, women are increasingly using this particular stratagem for their own ends (Fu, pp. 171–2). By using a beautiful woman, the opponent can be corrupted. Corruption through the female art of love is seen as one typical form of corruption. Consequently, any sort of corruption is classed as an application of this stratagem.

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Stratagem radius

In advertising, this stratagem is common practice worldwide (Li, pp.

330ff.). In this case, there is an evident trend towards the woman being used as an instrument.

Sales staff in local stores are recommended to target this stratagem at “young couples.” Attention should be focused on the woman, and on arousing in her the desire to purchase an even more expensive product. The man, for fear of losing face in front of his partner, will in most cases show generosity and buy the woman what she wants, even if he doesn’t have much money (Yu 1994, p. 264).

Stratagem prevention

There is a Chinese saying that goes, “A fly can only get into a hen’s egg if it is cracked” (Chen 2, p. 320). Anyone seeking to resist stratagem 31 must be immune to sexual and other forms of corruption, for example, through self-discipline. In any event, one should remain wary of “beautiful people” who suddenly appear, and make in-depth inquiries before getting mixed up with them.

Stratagem risk

The stratagem makes a victim of the opponent through his own weakness. Even if he later realizes what was going on with the beautiful woman, there will not usually be any great feeling of resentment. Consequently, the stratagem, insofar as it works with a physically beautiful woman, is relatively risk-free. Obviously, the stratagem user must take care that the woman does not fall in love with the victim, and switch sides. If the stratagem of the beautiful woman is used in advertising, it is important to ensure that she doesn’t steal the show from the product.

If bribes and other material means are used in accordance with this stratagem to corrupt people, the offender runs the risk of being

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called to account under both civil and criminal law. Legal

“corruption” measures taken by Chinese business partners sometimes end badly, particularly in the area of foreign trade. For instance, the Chinese side organizes an excessively lavish banquet for the foreign business partner, so that the latter, rather than being captivated by this, on the contrary feels repelled or starts to doubt the judgment of the Chinese counterpart, and gives up any plans of working with the Chinese partner concerned.

Example