China

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – Kate Duguid at Reuters reports the alarm at UBS that China’s new oil futures exchange will hurt the standing of the dollar as the world’s reserve currency. That development in turn would start the reverse snowball down the hill, with the dollar falling against other currencies, […]

China

How Trump’s Erratic Isolationism is Helping China Rise

Juan Cole

By Dilip Hiro | ( Tomdispatch.com) | – – In his State of the Union address, Donald Trump warned grimly of “rivals like China and Russia that challenge our interests, our economy, and our values.” In response, he demanded that Congress give even more money to “our great military” and fund the growth and modernization […]

China

Is China coming into Syria for its “One Belt, One Road”?

Neil Thompson

By Neil Thompson | (Informed Comment) | – – As the Syrian civil war begins to wind down after six and a half years of bitter fighting, a new phase is emerging in the battered country’s political life — plans for country’s postwar reconstruction are already being laid even as the fighting between Islamist rebels […]

China

Is China’s dominance of Green Energy Markets a path to Global Dominance?

contributors

By Chris G. Pope | (The Conversation) | – – If there is to be an effective response to climate change, it will probably emanate from China. The geopolitical motivations are clear. Renewable energy is increasingly inevitable, and those that dominate the markets in these new technologies will likely have the most influence over the […]

China

Dragon Ascendant: Green China, not Red China, increasingly Bestrides the World

Neil Thompson

Neil Thompson | (Informed Comment) | – – “Surpass Britain and catch up with America” was one of the more idealistic slogans put about by Mao Zedong after he reunited China back into one country again in 1949. Though it would ultimately fall to his successor Deng Xiaoping to plant China’s feet back on the […]

China

Heating with Coal Takes 3 Years off Your Life: China Study

contributors

Feng Hao | (ChinaDialogue) | – – Lives in northern China are shorter than in the south because of air pollution from heating, reports Feng Hao In Beijing, the switch from coal to gas heating has reduced levels of tiny particles (PM2.5 and PM10) in November by 55% and 46% on last year (Image: Nick McIntosh) Each year, the winter chill creates […]

China

Leaving US in Dust, China starts $150 Million Floating Solar Plant Project

contributors

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – The Three Gorges Group project commenced in July of this year and is expected to be completed and fully streamlined by May 2018. On Sunday, Xinhua reported that state-run China’s Three Gorges Group is building the world’s largest floating solar power plant. The renewable energy project, […]

China

From Slights to Kow-Towing, Trump does Ugly American in Asia

contributors

By John Feffer | (Foreign Policy in Focus) | – – Fresh off an Asia trip where he showed surprising deference to dictators, Trump looks ready to start a renewed assault on critics at home. As a candidate, Donald Trump rallied voters against a variety of enemies. He vilified Mexicans. He stereotyped Muslims. And he […]

China

Will Asia emerge as world Leader, propelled by Green Energy Policies?

contributors

By John Feffer | (Foreign Policy in Focus) | – – China and South Korea could be game changers on climate — and create a more peaceful region in the process. There’s been precious little good news from Asia these days. Washington and Pyongyang continue to trade threats of war. Right-wing nationalist Shinzo Abe won […]