Anyone who was in the US around the mid 90's should remember how iconic Gateway was in the US PC industry. The company's "milk cow" packaging boxes were instantly recognizable. So this makes another case where an iconic US PC company was sold to a foreign company, following Lenovo's acquisition of IBM's PC Division.
Now, I am no expert in Chinese modern history but I'm at least aware that Taiwan and China are as different from each other as the US and the UK are. But from a purely economic point of view, the two countries seem to get along, regarding each other as a very important trade partner. And now with the #3 and #4 players in the worldwide PC market being Chinese and Taiwainese respectively, it looks like the world will see the two counties' duels in high-tech sector more often. (The now-#4 Acer is expected to become #3 when the company also acquires Packard Bell.)
As Taiwan and China compete with each other in various sectors of global market, the Chinese economy in a broader sense ("華商") will become stronger. During the course, it's very likely that the strongest economic force - in the long term, obviously China - might subsume the economic energy of the neighboring countries whose economy is mostly controlled by the Chinese. These countries include Taiwan, Singapore, and Hong Kong - the "four dragon" countries minus South Korea.
So, simply put, it's likely the following formula will take place:
China + Hong Kong + Singapore + Taiwan = China
I know this is oversimplified, a bit stretched statement, but if that ever happens, it might mean the true beginning of the Chinese domination of world economy, something even most Americans think will happen within the century.
TAG Acer, China
