Seems just more of the typical same-old same-old to me:

• The Chinese invented gunpowder, but didn't DO anything significant with it;
• the Chinese invented the printing press, but didn't DO anything significant with it;
• and now, we hear the Chinese discovered the New World(*) and... (Surprise, surprise!) they didn't DO anything significant with their discovery.

So what's to "start a firestorm" about?!?

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(*): i.e, they "discovered" it only four hundred years after the Vikings did, in stead of four hundred and fifty years after them like Columbus... Bra-fucking-vo!

...of throwing unfounded accusations of "sinophobia" around, you Commie arse-licker?

So, again: What the fuck IS there to "start a firestorm" about?!?

ISN'T this just, a) another example of a totalitarian regime claiming its people are the mothers of all invention, just like the Soviets used to do; and/or, b) in case it's actually true(*), just another example of the ancient Chinese discovering something, and NOT _doing_ anything with it?

So, why would anyone want -- or feel the need -- to "start a firestorm" about it?

If the anchor on the TV news this evening went, "And this just in: The Chinese flew to the Moon in 1421, but didn't do anything once they got there, never repeated the trip, and suppressed all the records once they got back" -- who would give a shit, and why?

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(*): Quite possible -- but, as per the above: So what?

...as long as they refuse to contribute in any significant way to the rest of the world(*), WE can just as safely ignore THEM.

With six-going-on-seven billion people in the world, the inverse of your aphorism -- "no matter what a billion Chinese do or say, you don't have to give a shit" -- is an invaluable device for simplifying one's world-view: Now we only have to take into account six-or-seven billion people minus a-billion-and-about-a-million(**)!

There, isn't that a *good* thing? :-)

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(*): And no, I actually don't think happily providing slave labour for Big Bizniss to exploit (in addition to, *and* enhancing the effect of, its already exploiting the rest of us) is "significant"; not in any positive way, at least.

(**): Or however many people live in St Louis, MO, USA.