In The News

The Price of Free Trade - Part II

Tom Fawthrop October 1, 2004
Instituted some 30 years ago, the international Multi-Fiber Agreement (MFA) set export quotas on all textile manufacturing nations. Some poorer countries, like Bangladesh and Cambodia, received larger quotas, which enabled them to attract foreign investment and sharply boost their earnings. Artificially protected from competition, they built their developing economies around the textiles...

The Great Reverse – Part III

Anna Greenspan September 8, 2004
While headlines in the West bemoan job outsourcing to China and India, they ignore a far more profound economic shift: the growth of business partnerships between these two rising economies. In the final installment of our three-part series, "The Great Reverse," globalization scholar Anna Greenspan writes that leaders and entrepreneurs in both Asian countries are bridging political...

The Trek Abroad Quickens Pace

Anke Bryson September 3, 2004
The US is not the only country tackling the issue of jobs moving overseas; a recent study reports that German companies continue to shift operations to other countries. Despite labor agreements from Siemens and Daimler Chrysler to preserve some domestic operations, the industrial exodus may reach a peak this year. Further complicating matters, foreign investment in German industry has...

Asean Body Steps in to Help Budget Airlines

Nande Khin September 1, 2004
Under the Asean Pioneer Project Scheme (APPS), which aims to establish an Asean Economic Community, the Asia-Pacific region will see more economic and social integration. Two projects in the pipeline for the Asean Business Advisory Council (BAC) will ensure that people, goods, and services will travel more quickly and cheaply. The organization is currently negotiating the landing rights for...

What Can We Expect from a Trade Deal with Japan?

Arjaree Sriratanaban August 26, 2004
The fourth round of negotiations for a bilateral free-trade agreement (FTA) between Thailand and Japan is set for early September. Amidst debate over similar agreements, Arjaree Sriratanaban, of the Japan-Thailand Economic Partnership (JTEP), highlights the benefits Thailand can expect. Sriratanaban says the agreement should increase business opportunities for Thai companies and provide greater...

Koizumi May Reopen Territory Row with Russia

David Pilling August 25, 2004
Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi may aggravate an ongoing territorial dispute with Russia. Mr. Koizumi indicated his intention to "inspect" four islands, the sovereignty of which has been contested since World War II. With Japanese business interests in Russian fuel pipelines and possible infrastructural investments in Siberia, this is a crucial juncture for Russo-Japanese...

Bitterness Felt as Chávez Recall Fails

Gail Epstein Nieves August 17, 2004
Venezuelans living in southern Florida voted an overwhelming 12,710 to 246 for the recall of Hugo Chávez. However, much to their frustration, the fiery leftwing politician won 58 percent of the vote domestically. Now analysts say that Chavez, who already controls the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of government, may use his democratic mandate to deepen his so-called “Bolivarian...