In The News

Bouquet of Roses May Have Note: “Made in China”

Keith Bradsher September 27, 2006
China’s plan to export cut flowers is less about conquering another industry and more about creating jobs in provinces other than those along the crowded, booming coast. Roses from impoverished Yunnan Province, grown and packed by workers who earn about $25 per month, have suddenly swept the global market. The Chinese government invested in greenhouses, airports, roads and other infrastructure...

Across Latin America, Mandarin Is in the Air

Juan Forero September 26, 2006
As a major customer of Latin America’s agricultural, energy and mineral resources, China has become a target of interest throughout South America. As a result, more business people in Argentina, Peru, Colombia and Chile study Chinese language. The US is the leading investor in South America, and English still stands as the second language of choice. Still, China funds all manner of Asian studies...

Globalization Requires the Greater Good to Be Put First

Stephen King September 20, 2006
In government, the public good is decided either by democratic choice or the coercive decision of rulers. In either case, some decisions made for the public good inevitably go against the wishes of certain segments of the population. In local government, one can oppose decisions by voting in elections or picking up and moving. Global citizens have fewer options: Assessing and enforcing the...

Give Globalization a Hand

Ernesto Zedillo September 19, 2006
Ongoing economic growth, as well as international trade and investment, continues to lift millions from poverty and make national economies more interdependent. Globalization not only provides economic opportunities, but increases global resilience against all manner of crises. Yet, despite globalization’s many benefits, political forces could curtail or even reverse the phenomenon. Every nation...

Investing in Ethics: The Norwegian Model

Manfred Ertel September 15, 2006
As the world’s third largest oil exporter and a country that prides itself on promoting social justice, Norway has a pension fund of $250 billion, one of the largest in the world. Teams of ethicists investigate firms, when accusations emerge about exploited workers or environmental degradation, and offer advice. The fund, which earned more than 11 percent in 2005, influences corporations to...

Can a White House Visit Shore Up a Sagging US-South Korea Alliance?

Morton Abramowitz September 14, 2006
North Korea is the biggest common problem for both South Korea and the US, but the two presidents do not agree on strategy. As presidents Roh Moo-hyun and George Bush meet on September 14, their conversation could be awkward. Both men are stubborn about how to end the standoff over North Korea’s nuclear program: the Bush administration favors sanctions or even regime change, while Roh insists on...

Rising Trade, Abundance Should Benefit All

David Crane September 12, 2006
Global competition provides the benefit of low-priced goods for the poorest citizens of the world and also has provided jobs that have lifted millions of people from poverty. But globalization has also meant lost jobs, benefits or security for other people. The challenge for policymakers throughout the world is to ensure that globalization’s benefits are widely shared, according to Ben Bernanke,...