In The News

Can Trade Keep Iran in Line?

Jamsheed K. Choksy and Carol E. B. Choksy September 17, 2015
Iran has large oil and natural gas reserves, and after years of debilitating sanctions imposed for the country’s nuclear weapons program, the population of more than 75 million is eager to join the global marketplace. A plan of action between Iran and the United States, Russia, China, UK, France and Germany is supposed to curtail Iran's nuclear research program and end sanctions. This...

China Stock Turbulence Will Boost Our Real Estate: Australia's Treasurer

David Uren September 10, 2015
The newspaper headline is repeated in New York, Sydney, Vancouver, Seattle and London – turbulent Chinese markets could boost real estate prices in foreign markets. China investors buy homes in major cities and also take advantage of immigration programs, including the EB-5 program in the United States which provides green cards to foreigners who invest in job-creating businesses, including real...

Seeking Safety Abroad: Hidden Story in China’s FDI Statistics

Farok J. Contractor September 10, 2015
Despite a recent slowdown, China’s economy is still growing. Its citizens are much wealthier than they were just a few decades ago and like investors around the world, they seek secure places to store assets. “However, the fact is that enormous amounts of liquid money held by Chinese individuals and companies have, for many years, been anxiously trying to leave China and leave the renminbi as an...

Why Russia Is So Afraid of French Cheese

Brian Whitmore September 1, 2015
Russia is becoming a case study in pitting people who enjoy being told what to do, in the name of nationalism, against those who pursue their own preferences. The government, in what some call an attempt to back away from modern globalization, suggests that foreign foods pose a strategic danger. Neighbors report on neighbors for enjoying imported cheeses, fruits and meats. “The food snitches and...

Being a China-Connected Global Banker Isn’t What It Used To Be

Cathy Kit Ching Chan August 21, 2015
Competition from Chinese bankers and strict regulations are reducing business for US and European banks, reports Cathy Kit Ching Chan for BloombergBusiness. Some top investment bankers are resigning, and their posts go unfilled. The report notes that “risk and compliance departments at global banks have become more vigilant about turning down deals in China that might have political connections,...

China Will Need to Rely on Intermediaries to Succeed in Hollywood

Henny Sender August 10, 2015
Chinese investors, including government-controlled firms, have focused on the US film industry, with the hope of studying the art of making Hollywood blockbusters: “US studios have the know-how but are cash-strapped and risk averse, while the Chinese have abundant capital and an appetite for risk, which lends itself to financing films,” writes Henny Sender for Financial Times. China encourages...

US-Malaysia Relations: Strategic Imperatives Over Human Rights – Analysis

David Han Guo Xiong August 5, 2015
The US Congress passed legislation prohibiting fast-track trade negotiations with countries ranking low on compliance and efforts to stop human trafficking. The US State Department proceeded to upgrade Malaysia’s ranking, suggesting the country is making an effort, to ease negotiations for the Trans-Pacific-Partnership trade pact. David Han Guo Xiong, writing for RSIS Commentaries, argues the...