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Ten Foreign Policy Priorities for Obama – CNN Commentary
(From CNN GPS – full list here.) Barack Obama has won reelection as America’s president. But while the economy – and avoiding the so-called fiscal cliff – will inevitably take up much of his time,...
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100 Minutes of Lip Service – Quartz Commentary
China’s political transition is in full swing in Beijing, replete with lengthy speeches and obligatory internet crackdowns. Outgoing President Hu Jintao’s lengthy reading of the most pressing issues...
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Five Quick Fixes to Grow China’s Economy – Quartz Article
The veil has finally been lifted on China’s leadership mystery. Questions now loom large over what, if any, reforms are likely over the next decade. So far critiques of the new seven-member ruling body...
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China’s Questionable Market Recovery
Money has to stay fit. It gets soft just lying on the couch, feet up on the coffee table, flipping through reality TV shows. And this week the money looks like its running back to Asia. The Shanghai...
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Asia Integration Leaves U.S. Behind
You can’t blame them for trying. U.S. trade negotiators have been at it for years but conclusion of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) keeps receding over the horizon. A June deadline was floated and...
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North Korea Misfires (Again)
Playing the same song (I was going to say record) over and over again gets old. And quoting oneself is lazy for a writer, but North Korea’s latest missile launch is so similar, in geopolitical terms,...
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In-Sourcing the U.S. Middle Class
Welcome back American manufacturing. U.S. in-sourcing (global companies bringing jobs back to the U.S. that were previously sent overseas) hit the mainstream news cycle again this month. An in-depth...
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Down but Not Out – Japan’s Economy in Recession
While Europe’s troubles continue making headlines Japan’s economy slipped back into recession in late 2012 with barely a mention. Why the difference? Perhaps the island economy shows no hope of...
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The Once and Future Beijing Blues
Remember the Beijing Olympics of 2008? A world-renowned stadium. An opening ceremony of unparalleled power and vibrancy. Beautiful blue skies. It was a picture-postcard moment. At the time visiting...
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Red Lines in the East China Sea
[Short version on CNN GPS] In many parts of the world the long curve of history continues dragging nations back to the brink of war. Take Northeast Asia where recent tensions between China and Japan...
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Asia Tensions Reach New Highs
Note: Thanks to those who have inquired about the lack of recent commentary. More blog posts are on the way after a few months break. While the blog has been idle there’s been no let up in Asia...
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“Road to Fame” Explores China’s Youthful Aspirations and Angst
Six pairs of eyes follow each single child in China says a teacher at Beijing’s prestigious Central Academy of Drama – parents and two sets of grandparents. That puts a lot of pressure on them to...
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What Does Xi Want – What Does Xi Really Really Want?
For so many years now, the rhetoric coming out of China was “peaceful rise” and “non-intervention”. And then by stealth, diplomacy and economic might a shift occurred turning a policy of biding one’s...
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India Poised to Gain as China Troubles in South China Sea Escalate
The recent Philippine-Vietnam announcement on a coordinated response to China’s latest ocean drilling marks a significant shift in regional relations. Strains have been growing for some time. An...
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Losing Iraq
It should come as no surprise that winning the peace in Iraq after winning the war a decade earlier proves harder in practice than in theory. After years of occupation, an election and billions of...
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U.S. Needs an Asia Re-Pivot
Legacy must be on Obama’s mind these days as his two-term presidency nears an end. It might seem early, but the approaching 2016 election cycle starts in earnest as soon as Hilary Clinton announces her...
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Why Firms Need Executive Intelligence (and not just social monitoring)
This is part one in a multi-part exploration of new developments in the field of executive intelligence. Most large firms now monitor the web and social media for comments about their products. Graphs...
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Does Anyone Really Know What Time It Is In North Korea?
In yet another bizarre move by North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un, official time in Pyongyang will officially roll back 30 minutes on August 15th. While not unheard of in the annals of geopolitics (New...
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China Devaluation Latest Sign of Market Weakness
The People’s Bank of China (PBOC) devalued the renminbi yesterday in the latest sign that market forces continue to weaken in the world’s second largest economy. Exports have fallen. Growth is likely...
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What the China Stock Market Crash Really Tells Us (and What It Doesn’t)
Monday morning headlines were more sobering than a double shot of espresso, adding anxiety to an already tumultuous few weeks in China. The Shanghai index dropped 8.5%, in one day, again. This after a...
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