In The News

Regulations and Security Concerns Hinder Asia’s Move to Cloud Computing

Wayne Arnold October 15, 2010
Rather than invest in expensive equipment for a specific event, businesses and governments can lease computer services for a limited time. Singapore has emerged as a regional center for such operations, and the Youth Olympic Games – managing more than 20,000 participants and 350,000 spectators – served as “a showcase for cloud computing in Asia: software, data storage, networking and even...

More Countries Adopt China’s Tactics on Currency

David E. Sanger, Michael Wines October 11, 2010
A proposal in the US Congress would impose tariffs on nations that keep their currencies artificially low. “But many around the world fear getting trampled as the United States and the Chinese battle each other,” explains this article in the New York Times. Japan, Brazil and other nations follow China’s lead, taking measures to devalue their currencies and boost exports as internal demand...

Reverse Coupling

Nayan Chanda October 11, 2010
As the economies of Brazil, India and China continue fast-paced growth, many economists mull whether they have decoupled from traditional Western markets mired in debt, unemployment and banking crises – and are perhaps even capable of boosting the developed world. Nayan Chanda, YaleGlobal editor, examines two recent reports that examine decoupling trends between developed and developing nations:...

Once a Winner, China Sees Globalization’s Downside – Part I

David Dapice October 11, 2010
Globalization is a two-way street. Countries cannot endlessly send products out into the world and build up reserves without a push back – benefiting from the world without giving back something – explains this two-part YaleGlobal series. China’s thriving economy depends on exports. By holding down the value of its currency, Beijing attracted foreign investors, reduced prices for global consumers...

China’s Chokehold On Rare-Earth Minerals Raises Concerns

Michael Richardson October 8, 2010
Following a boating mishap in the East China Sea, China swiftly banned exports to Japan of rare-earth materials, essential in high-tech manufacturing. China holds the largest reserves of the minerals required to manufacture cell phones, smart bombs, wind turbines and other high-tech products. In recent months, industries reliant on rare earths have encountered increasing delays, quotas and price...

India-Ohio Outsourcing Ban

Rupa Chanda October 8, 2010
As US job creation remains stymied, governments at all levels enact protectionist measures. For example, the US has hiked fees for H1B visas for foreign professional workers, and with an unemployment rate exceeding 10 percent, the state of Ohio has banned outsourcing of IT or back-office work in government-funded projects, reports the East Asia Forum. Firms in India that bristle about such...

Pentagon Loses Control of Bombs to China Metal Monopoly

Peter Robison, Gopal Ratnam October 1, 2010
The US, in search of the low prices, embarked on a privatization kick, and companies turned over many production facilities to China. The US failed to enact industrial polices, subsidize strategic industries and turned to short-term profit grabs. The result is that it now depends on China for rare-earth metals, essential ingredients for state-of-the-art technology, including military applications...