China has so far weathered the financial and economic storms remarkably well. Despite problems in Tibet and Xinjiang, the CCP remains in control and legitimate in the eyes of most Chinese. The country’s influence on the world stage steadily increases. However, whatever the successes of China, its perception in the West is increasingly negative. Unlike [...]

If only our presidents and prime ministers were as good at the leadership game as they are at the blame game.  Recent examples: Copenhagen: British climate change minister, Ed Miliband, publicly blamed China for vetoing two key commitments on emission cuts.  China accused Miliband of trying to stir discord among developing countries. Protectionism: China called [...]

The Copenhagen conference was an unmitigated disaster as an exercise in global governance.  The only hope is that it will act as a wake-up call for a real effort to be made to establish a system. The exercise was doomed from the outset.  • We are still trying to solve the problem without fully identifying and [...]

The EU Ministers yesterday extended the antidumping duties on footwear imports from China and Vietnam for a further 15 months as of January 2010.    In 2006, the EU imposed a two-year anti-dumping duty of 16.5 % on Chinese leather shoes.  It is not for me to comment on the legal correctness of this decision.  However, [...]

Tightened domestic security this year was understandable, in the light of the Uighur unrest in Xinjiang province, the 20th anniversary of Tiananmen and the 60th anniversary of the founding of the PRC.  However, the signs are that security is being permanently tightened and press and internet freedom restricted. The CCP (Communist party) has been very [...]

My post of 2 December expressed concern about growing protectionism and China’s contribution to this. China published a circular on 15 November, establishing “an Indigenous Innovation Product Accreditation system”.  To be eligible for public sector contracts, firms must have obtained accreditation by 10 December 10.  The new rules require that products should be linked to [...]

US Undersecretary of State, William Burns, said in April of the US and Russia that “more unites us than divides us”.  The same can be said of the US and China, and of Russia and China.  The way these three powers behave towards each other in the next decade will shape the future of the [...]

  Martin Wolf, China, renminbi/RMB, protectionism Martin Wolf, in todays’ Financial Times considers unfair Premier Wen Jiabao’s statement last week at the end of the China-EU summit, that: “Some countries on the one hand want the renmimbi to appreciate, but on the other hand engage in brazen protectionism against China.  This is unfair.  Their measures are [...]

  Margaret Thatcher, speaking in the British House of Commons on 8 April 1975, during the referendum debate on EC membership: “First, the case for being in the Common Market. I believe, with a number of hon. Members who spoke yesterday, that the paramount case for being in is the political case for peace and security. [...]

The 12th China-EU summit unusually took place, not in Beijing but in Nanjing, on 30 November.  The Chinese delegation was led by Premier Wen Jiabao; the EU by Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt of Sweden, President of the European Council and Commission President, José Manuel Barroso.  Commissioner Ferrero-Waldner also attended.  The atmosphere was overall friendly but [...]