In The News

Purity of Chinese Language Debated

September 13, 2004
Since China has opened its economic gates to the rest of the world, a wave of foreign words, ranging from yinqing (engine) to maidanglao (McDonalds) has flooded into its vernacular. While some linguists praise the development as evidence of Chinese vitality and openness, others fear the language is losing its purity. A solution, some propose, would be to enforce the National Language Law of the...

Beijing's Closed Politics Hinders "New Diplomacy"

Minxin Pei September 12, 2004
In the past year and a half, China has become a key player in several difficult international conflicts, including the North Korean missile threats, the Pakistan-India quarrels, and the war in Iraq. However, argues the author of this Financial Times piece, it should come as no surprise that the nation is quickly losing its newly gained respect in a series of foreign policy mistakes. Ever-present...

South Like North? North Like South? The Great Korean Flap

Tom Plate September 9, 2004
This Khaleej Times opinion piece examines the significance of the recent revelation that a group of South Korean scientists experimented with nuclear materials. Despite North Korean claims to the contrary, the experiment – amounting essentially to a few researchers tinkering in a lab – was not indicative broader South Korean weapons capabilities. The true danger, according to the author, is that...

The Great Reverse – Part III

Anna Greenspan September 8, 2004
While headlines in the West bemoan job outsourcing to China and India, they ignore a far more profound economic shift: the growth of business partnerships between these two rising economies. In the final installment of our three-part series, "The Great Reverse," globalization scholar Anna Greenspan writes that leaders and entrepreneurs in both Asian countries are bridging political...

A Nation of Nations

September 8, 2004
Given the dual threats of aging workforces and decreasing populations, many countries face fierce competition in attracting international professionals. Singapore, according to this editorial in The Straits Times, must broaden its immigration policy to ensure a vibrant, globally competitive population. Even the US, traditionally an international talent magnet, has shown signs of complacency...

The Great Reverse – Part II

Marvin Ott September 6, 2004
As the rise of China alters the geopolitical landscape, countries in both hemispheres must devise foreign policy accordingly. In the second of a three-part series on the changing power balance, National War College professor Marvin Ott writes that while Chinese military and economic capabilities are evident, its intentions remain ambiguous. Experts fear that China - despite claims to the...

The Great Reverse - Part I

Clyde Prestowitz September 2, 2004
There are those who argue that history is cyclical, while others prefer to conceptualize it as an ebb and flow. As the economies of China and India continue their dizzying growth, it seems that history is preparing to repeat itself. Economist Clyde Prestowitz, in the first of a three-part series, coins the term "The Great Reverse" in reference to the projected Asian-leaning shift in...