Tag Archives: Beijing

Opinion – China’s Internet economy younger, more vibrant than US – Global Times

September 14, 2017 By in Business Administration, Defense Policy, Foreign Policy, People, Politics, Reform, Science Tags: , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Here’s a fascinating article, in the Global Times, China’s leading and often politically outspoken newspaper. It reports that China and the US have become the twin engines of global Internet development, and the Chinese engine is apparently younger and more vibrant than its US counterpart, according to the findings of a white paper on China’s Internet economy released on Wednesday.

Source: China’s Internet economy younger, more vibrant than US – Global Times

For years, the US has had the technology and market-driven edge but the article speculates about China’s strategic advantage.

In recent years, the US has had to outsource technology, import foreign labour but has maintained the edge with constant market-driven innovation. But the pressures on young people in today’s US society has triggered record obesity and deaths from opioid addiction.

Strategically, technology remains vitally important, with the expected elimination of many unskilled and semi-skilled jobs in the decades ahead.

Having spent time in both the US and China, I would be wary of simply dismissing the Global Times article.

Also it’s interesting to reflect that last week, President Putin was extolling Russia’s technology sector and encouraging it to develop its own application software and not be strategically dependent on Western companies.

Perhaps, it all depends upon whether the nationalists or the globalists are holding greater sway in Trump’s America?

Thoughts?

China, urged to rein in North Korea, actually has little sway, diplomats say | The Japan Times

September 9, 2017 By in Defense Policy, Foreign Policy, Politics Tags: , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Here’s an insightful Reuters article from Beijing, published in the Japan Times. When Kim Jong Un inherited power in North Korea in late 2011, then-Chinese President Hu Jintao was outwardly supportive of the untested young leader, predicting that “traditional friendly cooperation” between the countries would strengthen. But it cautions that two years later, Kim ordered the execution of his uncle Jang Song Thaek, the country’s chief interlocutor with China and a relatively reform-minded official in the hermetic state.

Source: China, urged to rein in North Korea, actually has little sway, diplomats say | The Japan Times

For the moment, China seems reluctant to intervene too strongly with Korea, especially in relation to oil sanctions. China is North Korea’s main trading partner but there’s speculation that Iran is helping North Korea with it’s nuclear weapon development. 

Both the US and North Korea have leaders with large egos. Let’s hope that others can offer ‘carrot’ solutions.

Thoughts?

 

Related articles