In The News

US Rebalancing Asia, Not Containing China

Robert A. Manning July 8, 2013
Accusations that the United States is attempting to contain its largest trade partner are illogical. Since Richard Nixon’s historic 1972 trip to China, US presidents have consistently “pursued a policy of facilitating China's economic modernization and integration into the international system,” writes Robert Manning for Global Times. “Indeed, no country benefited more than China from the US...

Get Ready for the Next China

Stephen S. Roach July 2, 2013
Foreign investors and governments must prepare to deal with China's new economic goals. Under new leaders, China is shifting toward a stable consumer-led growth model, away from production and rapid growth, writes Stephen S. Roach, Yale professor, author and former chairman of Morgan Stanley Asia. New policies emphasize discipline in politics and finance. Also, the country’s service sector...

Deadly Triangle: Afghanistan, Pakistan, and India

William Dalrymple June 26, 2013
Pakistan borders Afghanistan; India does not. All have reason to support stability in Afghanistan as NATO troops withdraw. India has sent a small number of unarmed educators and health workers to contribute to Afghan economic development. Pakistan is fixated with India, notes historian William Dalrymple in an inaugural Brookings research essay: “India’s regional rival, Pakistan, was extremely...

France vs EU: Bitter War of Words Escalates

June 24, 2013
A public spat between France and the EU is a potential sign of French disenchantment with the EU, reports The Local. The issue grew out of France’s position that European film and television industry be insulated from Hollywood during the upcoming US-EU trade negotiations and stems from past remarks José Manuel Barroso, EU Commission chief, regarding French protectionist positions on several...

Iran’s President-Elect May Offer New Opening

Mohammed Ayoob June 20, 2013
Iran’s voters rejected hardline conservatives in favor of Hassan Rouhani, a former chief nuclear negotiator who has served in the country’s National Security Agency, known for his conciliatory style. Mohammed Ayoob, professor and author, describes the president-elect as adept in foreign policy with the skills needed to ensure national security, control infighting and to engage with the rest of...

Extending a Hand, Obama Finds Cold Shoulder Abroad

Mark Landler, Peter Baker June 19, 2013
Following frank meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping in California and Russian President Vladimir Putin at the G8 Summit, US President Barack Obama is finding that some fellow heads of state are dispensing with diplomatic niceties. Even allies are disappointed, and Obama must contend with a notoriously difficult relationship with Israel’s Benjamin Netanyahu, a brutal response to protests by...

Bermuda Refuses to Sign Up to Cameron's Tax Evasion Deal

Patrick Wintour June 18, 2013
Tax evasion threatens government budget and programs. As the G8 meets in Ireland, UK Prime Minister David Cameron hopes to persuade G8 and other countries to sign agreements against tax evasion. The pressure may have been counterproductive. Craig Cannonier, Bermuda’s prime minister, is refusing to sign the OECD international agreement on tax information exchange. Crannoir argues that Bermuda is...