Wen Jiaboa Is the Gerald Ford of China

Wen Jiabao and Gerald Ford
Getty Images | The White House
Wen Jiabao and Gerald Ford

Las Vegas— "The Chinese government won't be able to fight inflation because it doesn't understand what is causing inflation," according to Matt Gohd of Revere Securities.

We're sitting at a table lined with laptop computers outside the main room of the Skybridge Alternatives conference. Gohd's a contrarian who thinks that the market is heading into a rough period. Just two days ago, he told me silver was headed for another leg down—and the next day silver dropped. He also mentioned one of his favorite shorts, the Chinese internet company Yoku. That dropped by double digits the next day.

But today we're not talking about commodities or stocks. Or not mainly. Gohd mentions he's shorting gold now.

Our main topic is inflation in China.

"Wen Jiaboa is the Gerald Ford of China. His policies are 'Whip Inflation Now," Gohd says. "Whip Inflation Now" was a slogan the Ford administration used in its failed efforts to fight inflation.

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