By the time you read this, Taiwan will have a new president. It may also have – or be looking to fast-track – a range of mainland-friendly investment policies. Welcome to the post-Chen Shui-bian era. Chen, Taiwan’s outgoing president and a Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) stalwart, cast his suitably bombastic parting volleys at Beijing, but […]
Category: Politics & Society
Categories
Pressure on all sides
China’s policy makers have a lot on their plate. At the press conference marking the close of the first session of China’s 11th National People’s Congress (NPC), Premier Wen Jiabao addressed rising inflation, riots in Tibet and possible Olympics boycotts. He said that 2008 may be the “hardest year” for China’s economy and that navigating […]
Categories
Green power
The announcement that China will establish a new “super-ministry” devoted to the environment was touted by state media as a sign of the government’s commitment to creating a greener China. Upgrading the State Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA) to cabinet-level status is intended to give the new ministry real influence in terms of establishing and enforcing […]
Categories
A new deal?
Party intellectuals call for sweeping political reform to prevent an economic slowdown
China’s Brave New World – And Other Tales for Global Times By Jeffery N. Wasserstrom; Indiana University Press; US$21.95 The term “globalization” is often talked about as a great homogenizing force still unfolding. The near ubiquity of US fast food and pop culture is often held up as evidence of the world’s descent into “Americanization.” […]