In The News

Europe's China-Play

François Godement December 6, 2004
One of the most controversial issues to be discussed at the 7th annual EU-China Summit will be a 15-year-old arms embargo. The European Union instated the embargo in response to the Tiananmen Massacre of 1989. As China continues its ascent as a world economic power, however, European nations find it harder and harder to maintain a policy based solely on human rights. The financial rewards for...

Bush Backs US Tariffs on Shrimp

Martin Crutsinger December 2, 2004
In a victory for beleaguered US shrimp producers, the Bush administration yesterday upheld the penalty tariffs imposed on Chinese and Vietnamese shrimp imports. The ruling came in a case brought by the Southern Shrimp Alliance, which says that artificially low prices from foreign importers have almost ruined the US shrimp industry. But foreign shrimp producers say the US needs imports to meet...

Brazil Gives China Early X-Mas Present...

John Fitzpatrick November 23, 2004
Chinese president Hu Jintao’s visit to Brazil in this past week was highly successful: Brazilian president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva formally recognized China as a “market economy,” foregoing the power to block “dumped” Chinese imports. The Chinese government is notorious for subsidizing national industries and “dumping” the products into foreign markets. Thanks to the subsidies, these exports...

Thailand as an FDI Oasis

Arumugam Rajenthran November 18, 2004
Despite living in China's shadow during a regional recession, the Thai economy continues to grow. According to the Business Times, Thailand is emerging as a strong magnet for foreign direct investment (FDI) due to the Thai government's recent efforts to cultivate a business-friendly environment. Although Thailand has historically rated poorly in terms of intellectual property rights and...

Oil Supply I: The Arabs Look to the East

Michael Vatikiotis November 18, 2004
The relationship between Saudi Arabia and its allies in the West may never be as warm as it once was in the pre-9/11 era. Luckily for the kingdom, it sits on one-quarter of the world’s reserves of crude oil, and East Asia desperately needs oil to fuel its staggering economic growth. China’s efforts to satiate its unquenchable thirst for oil have spawned greater economic and political ties to the...

Warning Issued on GM Maize Imported to Mexico

Mike Shanahan November 16, 2004
A report released by an environment panel under the North American Free Trade Agreement announced that GM maize imported to Mexico should be handled with caution. New genes contained in American maize could "persist indefinitely if they are beneficial or neutral to the local varieties," according to the report. The quantity of this kind of genetic transfer, however, is relatively small...

US Trade Policy: Legacy of the Sorcerer's Apprentice

Bernard K. Gordon November 5, 2004
As US Trade Representative Robert Zoellick prepares to depart the Bush administration, his record should prompt a re-evaluation of US trade policy. Under Zoellick, the US has negotiated Free-Trade Areas (FTAs) with 12 countries – and is in the process of negotiating 10 more. While FTAs can be an effective means of spurring progress when global trade is floundering, argues Professor Bernard K....