Courtesy of Foreign Affairs, commentary on China and the importance of not underestimating the world’s second-biggest economy For over two decades, China’s phenomenal economic performance impressed and alarmed much of the world, including the United States, its top trading partner. But since 2019, China’s sluggish growth has led many observers to conclude that China has […]
Read more »Via Nikkei Asia, an article on the early success of Indonesia’s high speed rail line and Jakarta’s consideration of extending the China-backed line as passengers cross 2m in 6 months: Indonesia’s first high-speed railway — a 140-kilometer Beijing-backed project connecting Jakarta and Bandung — has become a “gold standard” of bilateral cooperation, Chinese President Xi […]
Read more »Via Latinometrics, an interesting look at Brazil’s rise as the world’s orange leader and new competition: To give you a sense of just how vast Brazil and its farming capabilities are, consider that at one point, until the year 2000, its orange farmland was larger than the entire island of Puerto Rico. Fast-forward to today — […]
Read more »Via The Africa Report, commentary on the impact of China’s increasing involvement in Africa: Sino-Africa relations keep growing but analysts express concern that Chinese efforts in Africa that include exploitation of natural resources, and increasing market access on the continent have pros and cons. China says its loans to African countries are beneficial and promises […]
Read more »Via Bloomberg, a report on Puntland and Somalia: Regional council says federal constitution illegally replaced Council wants referendum on changes to Somali constitution The oil-rich, semiautonomous region of Puntland said it will operate as a state that’s independent from Somalia until changes to the Somali constitution adopted on Saturday are approved via a popular referendum. […]
Read more »Courtesy of the New York Times, an article on how economies focused on exports have lifted millions out of poverty, but epochal changes in trade, supply chains and technology are making it a lot harder: For more than half a century, the handbook for how developing countries can grow rich hasn’t changed much: Move subsistence […]
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