In The News

Trade War a Boon for Bangladesh: Bloomberg

Arun Devnath July 9, 2019
As the United States targets China in a trade war, clothing firms are taking steps to diversify manufacturing locations to spread risk. Inquiries from manufacturers are on the rise in Bangladesh, and one company expects its US exports to more than double this fiscal year. “The South Asian nation, which is the world’s second-largest garment exporter, has seen the value of its overseas sales rise...

MIT Technology Review: Electric-Car Industry

Jordyn Dahl January 29, 2019
China did not need to master traditional auto manufacturing to dominate the electric-vehicle industry. China has lined up policies to ensure its dominance – for example, obtaining licenses is much easier for those with electric vehicles. The Chinese government “made electric vehicles one of the 10 pillars of Made in China 2025 – a state-led plan for the country to become a global leader in high-...

New York Times: Screws for iPhones Assembled in US

Jack Nicas January 28, 2019
Companies from around the world contribute parts for complex products like the Apple iPhone. China is the center for the supply chains, with teams orchestrating delivery of thousands of parts, some requiring custom work. Such a supply-chain infrastructure prevents fast relocation of assembly operations other nations. Donald Trump, early in his presidency, questioned why Apple and other computer...

The Economist: Road Makers Turn to Recycled Plastic

September 19, 2018
Plastic, sourced from petrochemicals, does not break down easily and offers limited options for recycling. Developers have begun experimenting with melted plastic as an ingredient for road construction to partially replace traditional bitumen and asphalt. In the Netherlands, a 30-meter bicycle path is made of 70 percent plastic. “PlasticRoad is prefabricated in a factory as modular sections,”...

Foreign Affairs: How Xi Jinping Views the World

Kevin Rudd May 31, 2018
Chinese President Xi Jinping is prominent among world leaders because of the size and continued growth of the Chinese economy as well as the nation’s military presence, role in development, and regional interests. Writing for Foreign Affairs, Kevin Rudd describes Xi’s interests as seven concentric circles: His primary goal is keeping the Chinese Communist Party in power for the long term, making...

South China Morning Post: China’s Textile Industry Faces Tough Times

Sidney Leng May 3, 2018
The textile industry does not stay in one location for long. Instead, clothing and textile manufacturers move around the world, following automation and low wages from India, England, New England and the US South and more recently to China. Now the textile and clothing industry may be starting to abandon China. “China’s textile and apparel makers are going through a painful industrial...

East Asia Foundation: FDI Outflow Surge From South Korea

Namsuk Choi April 11, 2018
Foreign direct investment outflows from South Korea are surging, increasing by more than 30 percent annually since 2010. Such levels can signal economic growth, but can also warn about rising wages, tax rates and regulations that erode a country’s manufacturing base and eliminate jobs, explains Namsuk Choi for East Asia Foundation. “The Moon Jae-in administration’s economic policies have had...