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COMMENT
Macau progress leaves out
politics
Macau's breathtaking economic development has focused on the big players while
the majority of residents get scraps, a pattern replicated even more sharply in
local politics. Uncontested elections and stifled debate won't help Macau
attract needed tourists or investors. - Muhammad Cohen
(Jul 2,'09)
Dollar's future in US hands
China's moves to have its exports paid for in yuan should not
be interpreted as a push to make the yuan a reserve currency for international
trade. The US dollar will continue to play this role - if the United States
puts its own financial house in order. - Henry C K Liu
(Jul 1,'09)
China's grip tightens on 'green'
metals
China's tightening grip on the supply of metals that play a central role in
products such as electric car motors and wind turbines could see the United
States and other Western industrialized powers become dependent on the Asian
giant for the "green" technologies of the future. (Jun
29,'09)
Iran-Pakistan pipeline not a done
deal
Muted fanfare over progress in the Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline deal belies its
potentially huge appeal. Moscow sees a chance to strengthen its grip on
Europe's gas markets while Beijing is eyeing supplies shipped from the
Chinese-built Gwadar port in Pakistan. The silence could be due to doubts over
Tehran's dubious track record and political situation. - Robert M Cutler
(Jun 25,'09)
Beijing's facade of resilience
Idealistic notions that the global downturn has handed China a golden
opportunity to stimulate domestic consumption ignore harsh political realities.
Instead of helping the neglected private sector, the majority of the US$586
billion stimulus package will likely be hijacked by bloated state-controlled
enterprises for big-ticket, fixed-investment projects . - John Lee
(Jun 25,'09)
US senators call for Chinese
drywall probe
Thousands of Americans live in homes with Chinese-manufactured drywall now
believed to be defective. Besides confronting huge financial headaches, a
growing list of health-related problems may loom for these people as well. - Peter
J Brown (Jun 23,'09)
China steels for a showdown
In the wake of collapsed demand, China's steelmakers are pushing for a 40% to
50% cut in prices of iron ore, their key raw material, at talks with their
principal suppliers. But Australian miners Rio Tinto and BHP are playing
hardball. The firms have announced plans for a huge joint venture, riling
Beijing to the point that it has threatened to wield its tough anti-monopoly
law, or look elsewhere. - Olivia Chung (Jun
22,'09)
OBAMA, CHANGE AND CHINA
Group of Two the wrong number
Advocates in the United States of a Group of Two power pairing that would link
Beijing and Washington in leading a new world order acknowledge China's desire
for recognition as a global power. But they overlook China's preference for
multilateralism and the energy it is devoting to deepening ties around its
northern and western borders. - Henry C K Liu
(Jun 18,'09)
This report is the fifth in a series
Part 1:
The song stays the same
Part 2:
A dangerous balance
Part 3:
The New Deal dollar and the Obama dollar
Part 4:
Brzezinski's G-2 grand strategy
SINOGRAPH
The yuan lies in waiting
Volatility in the US dollar, reflecting uncertainty over America's economic
prospects, would be no problem if the euro, yen or sterling were its
competitors as reserve money rather than being even more volatile. If the
Chinese yuan, backed by a strong domestic economy, comes to the fore, the whole
game is bound to change. - Francesco Sisci (Jun
17,'09)
Bad times good for Macau mogul
Ho
The former holder of Macau's gambling monopoly looked like yesterday's man as
American newcomers built megaresorts that dwarfed his flagship Hotel Lisboa.
But as the bubble bursts, it's clear Stanley Ho knew best. - Muhammad Cohen
(Jun 17,'09)
The world is now changed
Even US Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner conceded the issue in China this
month - global economic power is already being rebalanced, with the strategic
rise of emerging economies and the simultaneous decline of developed nations.
That will only accelerate as the financial crisis fades. - W Joseph Stroupe
(Jun 17,'09)
This concludes a three-part report.
Part 1: Awakening
ahead on bond delusion
Part 2:
BRIC group plans own revolution
Hummer's Sichuan link
fuels up with cash
Questions of money immediately cast doubt on how unknown Sichuan-based
Tengzhong Heavy Industry Machinery would succeed in buying the Hummer brand
from bankrupt General Motors. The Hong Kong share listing of "unrelated" Lumena
Resources has now made its chairman, Sichuan native Suolang Duoji, vastly
richer, with enough wealth to throw his weight behind the Hummer purchase. - Olivia
Chung (Jun 16,'09)
Awakening ahead on bond delusion
The hitherto success of US Treasury auctions fosters the delusion that all this
debt is still alright - and that Chinese and other central banks have little
option but to stick with the US dollar. A rude awakening lies in store. W
Joseph Stroupe
This is the first report in a three-part article
(Jun 15,'09)
China's copper deal back in the
melt
International Monetary Fund attempts to engineer renegotiation of China's US$9
billion resource agreement with the debt-burdened Democratic Republic of Congo
are unlikely to endear the organization to President Joseph Kabila. Nor does it
seem a friendly gesture to Beijing. - Peter Lee
(Jun 11,'09)
Minmetal victory goes by the
rules
The victory of China's Minmetals in securing assets
from Australian miner Oz Minerals should go some way to easing Beijing's
hurt at Rio Tinto's earlier rejection of Chinalco. The lesson in both cases is
that commercial factors and rules count in an equity led market system. - Alan
Boyd (Jun 11,'09)
 SUN
WUKONG
Foreign companies
blowing in the wind
Vestas Wind Systems and other overseas companies hoping for a slice of China's
US$586 billion economic stimulus package are having to think again as the
government lays down the law on where the money should go - to Chinese
companies. The United States set the example, but China at least is not
breaking world trade rules. - Wu Zhong (Jun
10,'09)
China's shoppers learn 'China'
hazard
Chinese businesses, seeking to compensate for a slump in overseas demand by
finding new markets at home, are having to overcome an unexpected obstacle -
consumers don't trust their products. - Olivia Chung
(Jun 10,'09)
China discovers value in the IMF
China has long been at odds with the International Monetary Fund, not least
over its Western domination and harsh prescriptions for countries that come to
the fund cap in hand. Now Beijing sees the institution as offering an escape
route for its own problem - how to get rid of its US dollars. - Peter Lee
(Jun 9,'09)
West and Russia spar, China wins
The Kremlin's choice of Khabarovsk, near the Chinese border, for a summit venue
should have sent a clear message to the attending European Union leaders as
they discussed future energy supplies from Russia. The Europeans, however,
appear to have badly missed the point. - M K Bhadrakumar
(Jun 8,'09)
US moves into back seat
If the United States and its consumers aren't likely to return as the global
economic driver anytime soon, and they most certainly aren't, why should China
and other emerging economies still think and act as if the US will return to
such a key role? There is now no going back to the old order with its outdated
thinking and ways. - W Joseph Stroupe (Jun
8,'09)
This article concludes a two-part report.
Part 1:
Dollar's wounds reopen
Foiled Chinalco rethinks future
Executives of Chinese aluminum maker Chinalco face a hard rethink about where
to go next after the board of debt-burdened Rio Tinto on Friday rejected a
record-breaking US$19.5 billion agreement that would have doubled the Chinese
company's stake in the Australian miner. - Olivia Chung
(Jun 5,'09)
Still dreaming in Macau
The US$2.1 billion City of Dreams hotel-casino complex opened in Macau this
week, its owners, two sons of billionaires, taking a second bet they can get
richer yet from gambling even as Macau's visitor arrivals and gaming revenue
decline. This could be a financial nightmare. - Muhammad Cohen
(Jun 3,'09)
China needs no sales pitch
Chinese leaders know very well the state of the Chinese, the US and the world
economies; they don't need a sales pitch on buying US debt. So what's the
purpose of US Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner's trip to Beijing?- Axel Merk
(Jun 3,'09)
Chongqing shows its muscle
As US local authorities, facing tumbling revenues and soaring
unemployment, beg federal help, in China the cash-rich government of
Chongqing plans to splurge US$8 billion on buying overseas assets ranging
from farmland to an iron-ore mine. It's enough to make California governor
Arnold Schwarzenegger weep. - Olivia Chung (Jun
2,'09)
Cross-strait ties grow amid
storms
Relations between Beijing and Taipei have strengthened remarkably, even as
negative global factors - notably the economic downturn and faltering
trade talks - abound. The advent to power of President Ma Ying-jeou helps, but
the groundwork was laid well before that. (Jun
1,'09)
Metal skirmish takes on global
hue
China rules the world of steel and so has a big say in the world of manganese,
a key element in steel production. How big a say may be determined by an
Australian court in a legal battle involving refiner OMH and whose reach takes
in Singapore, the British Virgin Islands and Ukraine. - John Helmer
(Jun 1,'09)
Taiwan goes back to work
Workers are being rehired in Taiwan as improved ties with mainland China are
helping the economy, reeling from a slump in exports, find its way back to
growth. That does not mean a sustained recovery is on the way. - R M Cutler
(May 28,'09)
Yuan in the ascendancy
International agreement on proposals by People's Bank of China governor Zhou
Xiaochuan for reform of the international monetary system is remote, despite
the non-provocative language he used. Yet while the US dollar will remain the
reserve currency, increased use of China's currency is also certain. - Pieter
Bottelier (May 28,'09)
China's farmers a poor base for
growth
Boosting domestic consumption, notably in rural areas, is a key goal of China's
economic stimulus plan to counter the fall-off in export demand. Yet the recent
history of the country's non-industrialized areas, including disproportionately
high taxes, should create considerable doubt that China's farmers can help pull
the world from recession. - Walden Bello (May
21,'09)
SUN WUKONG
Shanghai's dream hits hard
reality
Shanghai's dream of standing alongside New York and London as an international
finance center has at last received the central government's blessing.
Unfortunately for the city, economic growth targets, the global downturn and
the small matter of Shanghai party chief Yu Zhengsheng's career prospects must
come first. - Wu Zhong (May 19,'09)
Tunlan mine blast exposes safety
challenge
China's dismal record on coalmine safety is invariably attributed to the large
number of small, privately run mines. Yet the Tunlan mine, scene of a fatal
blast this year, is a world leader in technology and is run by the world's
second-biggest coking coal producer. (May 18,'09)
G-2 too simple for reality
Advocates of a "G-2" partnership between the United States and China to shape
the post-financial crisis world overlook its more complex reality. The
inclusion of Europe, for one, would help to achieve a more appropriate
equilibrium. - David Gosset (May 15,'09)
Beijing wizardry does the trick
China's economic miracle continues, with growth at more than 7%, even as
exports slump, foreign investment tumbles, factories shutter and house sales
collapse. A huge government stimulus package is having its effect - if, that
is, you believe the numbers. - Olivia Chung (May
13,'09)
China syndrome
There is no doubting either the scale of China's triumphant economic
transformation over the past decades or its emergence as a global power. But
China has not triumphed over the business cycle. The country's shares now
leading a global rally will more than likely lead the way back down. - Max Fraad
Wolff (May 13,'09)
China stirs a pot of gold
China's strengthening of its gold reserves still leaves those
holdings as a very small fraction of both its total monetary reserves and US
holdings of the precious metal. It nevertheless points to a strategic trend
that other surplus nations can be expected to follow. The biggest winners will
trade their dollars for gold before there's a rush for the door. - John Browne
(May 8,'09)
India looks on as the East
integrates
India, blinded by security concerns, is a mere onlooker as neighbor China
step-by-step integrates its economy with other countries in the region, to the
benefit of all parties. - Zorawar Daulet Singh
(May 6,'09)
China clears space for carrier
China's willingness to build an aircraft carrier requires that it find an
appropriate construction site. One near Shanghai is apparently being prepared
for just this purpose, with the venerable Jiangnan Shipyard (Group) selected to
build the vessel. (May 6,'09)
Chinese workers lose more than
jobs
Millions of China's migrant workers are losing more than jobs as the country
struggles to maintain growth in the global downturn. Newly won rights appear
threatened, "old" folk of 30 or more are overlooked when vacancies do arise,
and pay is being cut. All good reason for getting angry. - Ivan Franceschini
(May 5,'09)
The world melts, China grows
As Western economies shrink under the impact of the global financial crisis,
China's continues to grow, its currency is becoming more international, and the
confidence of the government is strengthening. Leaders in Washington will soon
have to concede that financial power is shifting towards the world's thriving
regions, the foremost of which is China.- Dilip Hiro
(May 5,'09)
China cashes in on crisis
China is taking advantage of the global financial crisis to strengthen ties
with its Southeast Asian neighbors, helping out with credit, investment funds
and other forms of support. It is also strengthening the role of its southwest
provinces in the region's economy. (May 4,'09)
China's banks in loans dilemma
China's banks are struggling to maintain profit levels as bad loans mount and
interest rates decline. Yet the government wants the banks to lend more -
exacerbating their bad-loan risks and further threatening profitability. - Olivia
Chung (May 1,'09)
SPEAKING FREELY
China and the world share the
pain
The impact on China of the global financial crisis has made clear how the
fortunes of the Asian giant and the rest of the world are deeply integrated.
Both will gain from further separation of the Chinese government and business;
both will lose if the US starts printing too many dollars. George Zhibin Gu
(Apr 30,'09)
German potash finds growth in
China
China's big potash buyers are holding back on international purchases even as
the country's farmers are expected to require more fertilizer than usual
following a particularly dry winter. In such a contradictory market, a German
company appears to be finding China fertile territory. - John Helmer
(Apr 29,'09)
Shocked, shocked!!
Minority shareholders would concur with Hong Kong appeal court
judge Justice Anthony Rogers' "outrage" at Richard Li Tzar-kai's share purchase
proposals. Yet the PCCW case is only one of several recent examples exposing
corporate contempt for the city's regulators. - Olivia Chung
(Apr 27,'09)
OBAMA, CHANGE AND CHINA
Brzezinski's G-2 grand strategy
Former US national security adviser Zbigniew Brzezinski, in seeking a United
States and China "Group of Two" to jointly address global challenges, rightly
recognizes that the days of a unipolar world order are numbered. His mistake is
in believing China wants to partner a weakening US, or would gain from such
ties. - Henry C K Liu (Apr 21,'09)
This report is the fourth in a series
Part 1: The
song stays the same
Part 2: A
dangerous balance
Part 3: The
New Deal dollar and the Obama dollar
Yuan trade move 'far reaching'
The Chinese government's decision this month to let exporters
in a small number of cities settle their overseas trade in yuan rather than in
US dollars has far-reaching implications, according to economists, even though
the immediate impact is minimal.- Olivia Chung
(Apr 20,'09)
BOOK REVIEW
Capitalism with Chinese
characteristics
Made in China by Winter Nie and Katherine Xin with Lily
Zhang
Such is the transformation of China's economy over the past three decades that
privately owned enterprises are now without doubt the country's economic
driving force, attracting more than double the fixed-asset investment of
state-owned outfits. A native breed of capitalist is thriving with virtually
none of the tin cans of China's socialist, centrally planned legacy tied to its
tails. - Muhammad Cohen (Apr 17,'09)
Hong Kong trams change driver
Wharf Holdings' transfer of a 50% interest in Hong Kong Tramways to French
conglomerate Veolia involved pocket change and came with pledges from
hard-nosed businessmen to cent-saving residents that the iconic transport
system will survive. - Olivia Chung (Apr
9,'09)
Appeasement and decline
With US imports from China remaining strong, Beijing is exporting unemployment
while threatening to stop buying US Treasuries if the Washington acts to offset
China's currency and other subsidies. The Barack Obama administration is
foolishly buying the threat. - Peter Morici (Apr
9,'09)
 CHAN
AKYA
China's unreal estate
Chinese property is a perfect example of what happens when irresponsible
policies meet indomitable market forces. The u-turn - within a year - from
efforts to cool property prices to measures to prop up the sector highlights
the consequences of a pegged exchange rate maintained by a government that
claims to know what's best for the country, with all evidence to the contrary.(Apr
9,'09)
SUN WUKONG
And the poor get poorer
China's wealth gap gapes ever wider as the number of China's dollar
millionaires continues to grow and government tinkering doubles the number of
people in the countryside considered to be poor. - Wu Zhong
(Apr 8,'09)
Guess what, they're not coming
The combination of US companies in dire straits and China's vast foreign
reserves has raised expectations that Beijing could lead a rush of takeovers in
America. Yet reluctance on both sides will restrain any such stampede into the
heartland of capitalism. - Benjamin A Shobert
(Apr 6,'09)
China secures Myanmar energy route
China has secured an important alternative route for its
Middle East oil supplies, bypassing the Malacca Strait, with an agreement with
Myanmar to pump oil and gas from the Bay of Bengal to Yunnan province. The
energy coup, while benefiting Myanmar's generals, will doubtless upset India. - Sudha
Ramachandran (Apr 2,'09)
China prepares for next surge
China is well placed to continue its strong development as the global crisis
eases, helped in part by using its vast surpluses in massive labor-retraining
programs. Low wages paid to trainees have the added benefit of maintaining the
country's cost advantages. - Mark Selden (Apr
2,'09)
Taiwan's ambiguous recovery
Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeou's election pledge of increased economic
integration with the mainland was well timed, with the global downturn
gathering pace as voters went to the polls last March. The same downturn may be
masking his success - or failure - in delivering on his promises. - Robert M
Cutler (Apr 1,'09)
SPEAKING FREELY
China's White House hostage
It remains in China's interests to finance US budget and trade deficits as the
White House throws ever-more dollars into the economy. But ultimately neither
country will prosper under this status quo. - Peter Navarro
(Mar 31,'09)
OBAMA, CHANGE AND CHINA
The New Deal dollar and the
Obama dollar
The US, encouraged by the likes of President Barack Obama's advisor Larry
Summers, has for decades mismanaged its finances by exploiting the hegemonic
character of the dollar in international trade. Beijing, for one, needs to
forge an economic strategy independent of Washington's. - Henry C K Liu
(Mar 31,'09)
This report is the third in a series
Part 1:
The song stays the same
Part 2:
A dangerous balance
Hong Kong keeps to party line
Hong Kong ignored financial woes to celebrate in traditional raucous style its
annual international rugby sevens tournament. Yet signs of a downturn are hard
to ignore, as trade declines, visitors stay away and workers tear down street
signs of bankrupt outfits. Even tequila rock'n'rolls are harder to come by. - Olivia
Chung (Mar 30,'09)
Russia steel protection has
suicide look
Hopes that domestic demand would lift Russia's steel industry
have reversed, with the China market now looking a better prospect for sales.
Protectionist measures by the Kremlin against steel imports from China look
short-sighted at best. - John Helmer (Mar
30,'09)
Chinese interests caught in drone
threat
China, eyeing a short-cut to Middle East oilfields, has emerged as an important
investor in Pakistan, notably in oil and port facilities in Balochistan
province. The Chinese projects are at risk if the United States goes ahead and
bombs the region. - Syed Fazl-e-Haider (Mar
25,'09)
Fool's gold
Russia, with the world's second-largest and remarkably untapped gold reserves,
is deterring hungry foreign interests with cash to spend, such as China's Zijin
Mining and Zhongjin Gold, thanks to one of the strangest prospector's
pay-sheets ever drafted. - John Helmer (Mar
25,'09)
Debt headache for China's
leaders
As China's leaders look ahead to what will continue to be a troubled year in
the global financial crisis, the value of the country's holdings of US debt
figures high in their list of concerns. (Mar 23,'09)
China learns local bond lessons
China's local governments will be glad to get their hands on
the US$30 billion they are being permitted to raise through bond sales. But
their free-spending ways and past loan history are reflected in central
government control of the sale and other restrictions. - Olivia Chung
(Mar 18,'09)
China sees opportunity in
failure
Beijing has invested substantial effort in preparing for April's global summit
in London, even though it is most likely the talks will not come up with a
formula to restore the world's economic growth. Such a failure could open the
door for China to advance its aspirations for the creation of a new financial
order. (Mar 18,'09)
DOLLAR CRISIS IN THE MAKING
China inoculates itself
against dollar collapse
Any publicly recognized effort by the Chinese government to reduce its heavy
exposure to US dollars could bring about the very collapse in dollar value that
it fears. Beijing is fully aware of the risks - and is acting accordingly. - W
Joseph Stroupe (Mar 17,'09)
This article concludes a three-part report.
PART 1:
Before the stampede
PART 2:
The not-so-safe haven
DOLLAR CRISIS IN THE MAKING
The not-so-safe haven
The US is caught between multiple contradictory interests concerning its
issuance of ever-more Treasury debt. Weighing heavily is much recent evidence,
even before Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao's public expression of concern over
China's US assets, that Beijing is already eyeing an exit route from dollars. - W
Joseph Stroupe (Mar 16,'09)
This is the second article in a three-part report. PART 1:
Before the
stampede
Wen firm on reserve priorities
Premier Wen Jiabao recognizes the interlocked nature of
China's and the global financial systems and the importance of the latter's
stability. But when it comes to the country's vast reserves, Wen makes it clear
that China's interests come first. (Mar 16,'09)
Wen puts US honor on the debt
line
Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao's demand in Beijing on Friday that the US protect
the vast value of US debt held by China and honor its financial commitments was
almost immediately followed by a decline in the value of US Treasuries. Yet the
fact that Wen can openly express such concern may be better than him keeping
silent and dumping the dollar. - Olivia Chung
(Mar 13,'09)
The great escape
The financial crisis requires more-effective stimulus packages, an aggregator
bank, and fixing, with "protectionist" China, the dollar-yuan exchange rate. Peter
Morici also tells US legislators that the worst legacy of the Wall
Street morass may be a broken confidence in capitalism and a ruined public's
sense of betrayal on seeing bank executives escape with their fortunes. -
(Mar 12,'09)
OBAMA, CHANGE AND CHINA, Part 2
A dangerous balance
Trade and currency values have long been a contentious issue between China and
the West. Yet the appreciation required to close China's balance of payment
surplus would cause instability for the whole global economy - including
collapse of the US retail trade. - Henry C K Liu
(Mar 12,'09)
This report is the second in a series
Part 1:
The song stays the same
With China we trade
President Barack Obama, in making Beijing a priority destination for Secretary
of State Hillary Clinton, was following advice and interest dating back to
George Washington and the Founding Fathers. Even in its earliest and most
fragile days as a nation, the United States turned to China as a lifeline of
trade. - Dave Wang
(Mar 10,'09)
Wen pledges cash for growth
Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao declined to deliver a second stimulus package as the
world's third-biggest economy struggles to withstand the impact of the global
downturn. But his address to China's top legislative body promised more cash
for rural areas, less tax for companies and individuals, and perhaps enough
growth to keep jobless millions from taking to the streets. - Olivia Chung
(Mar 5,'09)
OBAMA, CHANGE AND CHINA, Part 1
The song stays the same
President Barack Obama's promise of a new approach to politics is yet to be
reflected in the US position regarding China, while financial bailouts led by
the US are following the tired formula of cutting jobs and driving down wages.
China appears to be the only exception of this trend. A redefinition of US
national interests is critical if Obama is to succeed with his agenda of
change. - Henry C K Liu (Mar 5,'09)
This report is the first in a series.
Power in Beijing balance sheet
If countries were companies, China would have one of the best balance sheets in
the world. It will emerge from the global financial crisis owning more assets
overseas, but it must also encourage its citizens to buy more at home. - Peter
Navarro (Mar 5,'09)
China on buying and lending
spree
The oil pipeline agreement signed recently between Russia and China is only one
aspect of Beijing's policy to acquire foreign assets during the global
downturn. Large though the Russia deal is, Australia is the main target for
investments. - Robert M Cutler (Mar 4,'09)
Beijing builds on credit crisis
China is using its strong financial position to snap up
resources around the world as producers reel from the impact of tumbling prices
and the global credit crisis. Auto makers in the United States and Europe may
be next on the shopping list. (Mar 4,'09)
Asia's miners line up for
Outback
Cash-rich Asian miners are jostling to buy interests in Australia's vast
resources, going cheap with the collapse in commodity prices and a slide in the
Australian dollar. Their success may hinge on the outcome of Chinalco's
blockbuster US$19.5 billion pursuit of Rio Tinto. Rio needs the cash - but
Australian concerns may claim priority. - Alan Boyd
(Mar 3,'09)
SPEAKING FREELY
Pride and prejudice
Chinese President Hu Jintao and US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton had
important issues to discuss at the weekend. Yet time put aside for a viewing of
a (preferably unpirated) DVD version of Pride and Prejudice might have
offered both politicians insights into the relationship between their
countries. - Patrick Chovanec (Feb 23,'09)
China loan turns Russian oil east
Agreement on a US$25 billion loan from China to the Russian state oil sector
means that fuel from new Russian oilfields will move to Asian markets, rather
than to Europe. The pact also signals the defeat of a similar objective by
Japanese while adding to the strategic influence Beijing will have on
development of the Russian economy.- John Helmer
(Feb 23,'09)
China's family firms test home
market
China's millions of small businesses that thrived and became key innovators
while exports boomed are now struggling to survive their over-dependence on
overseas sales. The huge but extremely competitive domestic market offers a
tough alternative. - Benjamin A Shobert (Feb
20,'09)
Crisis challenge for Sino-Indian
trade
Trade momentum between India and China survived the onset of the global
economic crisis. The two neighbors must now look towards easing suspicions and
lowering still high trade and cultural barriers if they are to take advantage
of the opportunities emerging from the slowdown. - Pallavi Aiyar
(Feb 19,'09)
Dry hope for Uralkali
China's worst drought in 50 years may yet be the saving of Russian potash miner
Uralkali and its controlling shareholder Dmitry Rybolovlev, who has seen the
company's value shrink by about 90% pending a government ruling on a potential
US$3 billion bill. - John Helmer (Feb 18,'09)
China seeks road back to growth
The double impact of government efforts to cool China's economy from 2007 and
now the global downturn is forcing out of work millions who are not caught by
official statistics. Add in 6 million new graduates seeking jobs this year, and
pressure is mounting on Beijing to renew growth. Protectionism is the last
thing the country wants or needs. - Pieter Bottelier
(Feb 18,'09)
 SPENGLER
Obama, an economic unilateralist
Claims that the financial crisis will dethrone the United States as the
dominant world superpower are merely silly. The crisis strengthens the relative
position of the US and exposes the far graver weaknesses of all prospective
competitors, China included. It also positions President Barack Obama as a
unilateralist president far beyond Ronald Reagan's dream.
(Feb 17,'09)
Chinese offered consumer
tickets
China's local governments, concerned as factories close and millions of workers
lose jobs, are taking their own steps to boost economies in their areas - by
encouraging citizens to go out and consume. - Olivia Chung
(Feb 13,'09)
Capital wisdom from the East
Gaining the confidence of investors takes decades to build, but is easily
destroyed, a fact understood by Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao, if not by
his counterparts in the West. - Axel Merk(Feb
12,'09)
Oil price plunge gives Beijing
breathing space
The plunge in oil prices has given China breathing space to reassess its
domestic energy program and a strategy for its oil companies that was designed
to cope with a higher price regime. - Wenran Jiang
(Feb 12,'09)
China on the brink
A strongly rising stock market in Shanghai and full restaurants and malls in
Beijing suggest China's citizens are being spared the pain of the world
economic downturn. The reality, and it is worsening, is hidden further inland,
and at the other end of the income league. - Patrick Chovanec
(Feb 11,'09)
Tycoon madness in Hong Kong
Richard Li Tzar-kai, who has long struggled to emerge from the shadow of his
hugely successful father, Hong Kong's top tycoon Li Ka-shing, looked to have
pulled off a superb coup with the buyback of PCCW shares. Allegations of
vote-buying now cloud the brilliance of the move. - Kent Ewing
(Feb 9,'09)
China's tide of migrant labor
turns
Up to 25 million of China's 130 million migrant workers, the engine of the
nation's economic rise, could be unemployed in 2009. The sheer number of
jobless workers returning to the countryside has Beijing gearing up for mass
social unrest, and it has pinned its hopes for stability on new farming
incentives and special training programs. - Olivia Chung
(Feb 4,'09)
China warns against
protectionism
China is worried that the global financial crisis could unleash a spiral of
protectionist policies among its trade partners, threatening further damage to
its export-dependent economy. (Feb 3,'09)
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