China Archive

Guess what happens to Chinese products once destined for Western economies that can no longer afford them? They find destinations closer to home (via 2point6billion): Indian markets saw a flood of Chinese made toys in the second half of2008 after many western countries decided not to import toysmanufactured in China anymore. Besides a lack of capital, westernimporters decided to “buy American” also due to recent qualityproblems. Guess what happens to Chinese products that try to find destinations closer to home? They get turned away: India on Friday banned Chinese-made toys for six months in order toprotect the domestic industry which […]

Interesting article in Le Figaro about the price France is paying for Nicolas Sarkozy’s meeting with the Dalai Lama in Poland last December. Sarkozy campaigned on a pretty strong human rights plank — with particularly robust rhetoric reserved for Russia — and chose Bernard Kouchner, a militant advocate of liberal interventionism, as his foreign minister. Since taking office, though, his approach to Russia has been pragmatic and surprisingly cordial. He also received Libyan leader Muammar Qaddafi at Elysée Palace, a move condemned by even his own Undersecretary of Human Rights, Rama Yade. And as for Bernard Kouchner, although he’s been […]

When Barack Obama takes the oath of office today, he will become the person most empowered to protect Americans, and the world, from attacks of mass destruction. Although he assumes the presidency at a time of grave danger, real progress in curtailing the threat from weapons of mass destruction (WMD) is possible under his leadership. The threats, both real and potential, are significant. This past weekend, for instance, North Korean leaders claimed to have used the plutonium generated by the country’s nuclear energy program to make several atomic bombs. They insist that they will not relinquish these nuclear weapons even […]

Not long ago, Sam Roggeveen took me to task via email for saying, “. . . the Bushadministration viewed India predominantly through the lens of Chinapolicy.” I was contrasting that with the Obama administration’s rollout of a “regional approach” that seemed to view India more through the lens of Afghanistan-Pakistan policy. Sam’s two-word admonition? Evidence, please! I think this, via the Times of India, might count as evidence. According to DefenseNews, the P-8 is a long-range maritime recon aircraft, and the ones India just signed with Boeing for will be fitted with “sonar buoys, torpedoes and aerial depth-charge bombs.” That, […]