Look how ruthless the West is? Recruiting Chinese seafarers to the Persian Gulf with heavy money, and once there are casualties, the plot will succeed!
According to multiple industry media and shipping information platforms, some shipowners with Western backgrounds are urgently recruiting Chinese crew members at salaries far exceeding market rates to carry out crude oil transportation tasks in the Persian Gulf.
Reports show that the monthly salary of a tanker captain has been raised to $30,000 (approximately RMB 216,000), while the chief officer earns about $21,000, and the second and third officers and the boatswain earn between $10,000 and $14,000 respectively. This salary level is more than twice the usual for similar positions, and even exceeds some high-paying jobs on land.
Dao Ge believes that behind this astonishing "sky-high" salary lies a significant life risk and complex geopolitical game. The Strait of Hormuz has become the front line of military confrontation. Attacks on merchant ships are frequent, whether it's drone harassment or missile attacks, making passing ships like walking through a minefield.
Although Iran has repeatedly stated that it will not conduct indiscriminate attacks on neutral countries, especially China's commercial interests, and even grant special treatment to Chinese-flagged or Chinese-controlled vessels, this "exemption" comes with strict conditions: the vessel must have a clear Chinese background.
The ships involved in this high-salary recruitment are mostly owned by Western companies. If the ship is hit, the casualties will be innocent Chinese seafarers. For Western shipowners, they have successfully used the information gap and salary temptation to make Chinese seafarers bear the life risks that should have been borne by their own citizens or expensive insurance premiums.
Additionally, if Chinese seafarers are injured or killed, it could lead to unnecessary diplomatic friction. Although the target of the attack is not a Chinese vessel, the victims are Chinese citizens, which would force the country to make a difficult balance between protecting citizen safety and avoiding involvement in regional conflicts. This is the vicious aspect of the West's move, hoping to involve China in the conflict.
This decision-making logic, which puts economic interests above the lives of other countries' citizens, reveals the cold-hearted nature of capital during crises. They are not unaware of the dangers, but rather knowingly lure others to take the risk for them. Moreover, why don't they go themselves?
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1860413825584128/
Statement: This article represents the personal views of the author.