In The News

David Barboza February 10, 2006
Although a wealth of products pour into the US, bearing the label “made in China,” few are made completely in that nation at all. These days China is just the last stop in the complex global production networks run by multinational companies in Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and the US. By confusing between what really is assembled in China with the common label of “made in China,” one...
Aaron L. Friedberg February 7, 2006
In the wake of the terrorist attacks on September 11th, the US government turned to China, not with a particular strategic agenda, but with the hope that the nation, like other great powers would be “united by common dangers” and “common values.” A few years later, though, uneasy feelings emerged about China’s status as ally, with US officials raising concern about the nation’s increasing...
Dorothy Guerrero February 6, 2006
Most commentators, stunned at China’s growth, are interested in projecting how soon the country will overtake the US as the world’s largest economy. But for the Chinese people, the more pertinent forecast is when the benefits of WTO accession and foreign investment will make their way to them. China has succeeded in making itself a top destination for foreign direct investment by offering tax...
Tom Zeller Jr. February 1, 2006
While China’s censorship of the internet receives increased attention, less publicized are the system’s imperfections. Relying on loopholes, greater freedom can be sought, even in a restrictive environment. One way individuals subvert a watchdog government is by surfing the web through a proxy server, which dissociates computer addresses from visited websites. In China, an underground network of...
Declan McCullagh January 27, 2006
By launching its search engine in China and following Chinese government censorship laws, Google has sparked controversy. But the controls seem more haphazard than just dictated by political consideration, according to a CNET News.com survey of the new search engine. Sites opposing the Communist government do not show up in Google searches, but can be reached through links and foreign-service...
Yasheng Huang January 27, 2006
Two years ago the view that India might have a more competitive economy than China was met with incredulity. Now a comparison of the two countries offers valuable insights for anyone studying economic growth. A fundamental distinction is that China’s growth stems from resource accumulation while India’s is rooted in increasing efficiency. Those who warned that India attracted too little foreign...
January 24, 2006
China’s economy continues to grow at more than 9 percent per year, and Beijing fears that a sudden crash would bring immeasurable consequences. Low consumer spending, government planners worry, would provide little cushioning for a slump. At the same time, distressed debt, a flimsy infrastructure, and increasing air and water pollution present further incalculable costs of China’s rapid...