In The News

The Globalization of Absurdity

Richard S. Ehrlich June 6, 2005
Cheaply produced knick-knacks are a feature of tourist traps around the globe. Recently, those in the market for something unusual have been purchasing Osama bin Laden action figures, al-Qaida video games and other products which either glorify or condemn the elusive terrorist, most of which are manufactured by nebulous Chinese firms and shipped worldwide. Many of the products' buyers are...

Next for the West Are Cars "Made in China"

Geoff Dyer June 1, 2005
Automakers may see China as a growing market, but soon they may face unexpected competition from a number of manufacturers who are seeking to export to the West, as well. Several Chinese companies have already begun a trial run in the Middle East to prepare for the US market, the goal of more than two decades of attempts to build a competitive car industry. The Chinese companies will encounter...

US Shouldn't Fear Rise of China, India

Robert Samuelson May 26, 2005
The growing wave of statistics on dwindling US competitiveness in the global economy has spooked American workers and brought blame on the heads of US manufacturers. China, India, and other developing economic superpowers are gunning for the position once occupied by mighty America – or so the wisdom goes. But the verdict on China and India's imminent rise to power may not be so clear-cut,...

Washington and the Chavez Question

Patrick Esteruelas May 25, 2005
Many fear that Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez may successfully create a substantial leftist, anti-American political bloc in South America. But as the Financial Times notes, Chavez's strategies – combining populist rhetoric, left-leaning militarism, and natural resource manipulation – may not be quite so successful. Venezuela's oil has been a key tool in shaping regional politics:...

Reviving an Old Dream of Afro-Asian Cooperation

Thomas Abraham May 24, 2005
In 1955, the giants of the developing world gathered in Bandung, Indonesia, in an historic attempt to promote Asian-African solidarity. Despite their hopes, few of the participating countries were stable enough to ensure meaningful change. Fifty years later, developing country leaders gathered in the same city, with the same purpose: to promote cooperation between the two regions. Though the...

On Advertising: Lenovo Tries to Win the West

Eric Pfanner May 18, 2005
Only a handful of Chinese brand names have achieved global consumer recognition. More often, many view China as a low-cost producer of Western consumer goods. The fact that Western companies essentially place their logos on goods manufactured in China, preventing Chinese companies from developing name recognition, exacerbates this perception. Lenovo, a major Chinese computer company that...

Of Flying Geese and Sitting Ducks: Brazil Stares, East Asia Takes Off…

Marcos Jank May 17, 2005
While East Asian countries steadily continue their economic development, Latin American nations still trail in achieving sustainable growth. The difference, according to this InfoBrazil commentary, can be attributed to the diverging economic policies of the two regions. Since the 1980s, East Asia has sought to attain global competitiveness by prioritizing exports, outsourcing labor-intensive...