Mr. Pan,

"On the other is a ragtag collection of lawyers, journalists, entrepreneurs, artists, hustlers, and dreamers striving..."

These sound like the very same people that make up the millions of new Communist Youth League members? If the last party is an indication they may already be co-opted into the "venal party state." For example, the highest number ever of under 45 delegates, around 70% under 55 overall. And the Communist Youth League members are the ones most likely to be not only younger and more educated by independent professionals.

Posted at August 19, 2008 3:54 PM in response to Out of Mao's Shadow

Frankly I'm surprised there hasn't been more anti-Chinese rhetoric (from both sides) in the election cycle so far. It's an old theme of Presidential politics and both sides use it to excess. As for Chinese manufacturing jobs returning to the USA, no chance. I source manufactures from China and even with a tripling of containter shipping costs nearly all products are still infinitely cheaper to produce in China than here. And it's not all due to "slave" labor. In some instances (LCD screens, for ex.) China has the more advanced facilities.

Posted at June 27, 2008 12:06 PM in response to Yet Another House GOPer Caught Spreading Tall-Tale About China Drilling For Oil Off America

Huckabee has been to Taiwan four (4) times and met with President Chen Shui-bian and Foreign Ministers. As Governor he's championed Taiwan recognition in international orgs. I can only assume he's part of the dated evangelical mission to Christianize China. Not sure if he believes the whole take back Jerusalem from the East business but there is a strong belief among some evangelicals that the 'end times' will begin either in China or in a war between US and China. Of course, he told TIME that he wasn't that concerned with China.

"Where the bulk of the population cannot read, true democracy is impossible." -- Bertrand Russell

Posted at January 4, 2008 2:38 PM in response to On Foreign Policy, At Least Two Huckabees

Yes, "imagination" is the key word. Kissinger still sees the world through his 1914-era eyeglasses. Everything is nation states and the competition for resources. He advocated military occupation of the strategic oil areas of the Middle East as far back as the first oil embargo crisis. I think it was in BusinessWeek or Newsweek. He deliberately floated the idea knowing that it would be shouted down - at the time - but planting it as an option.

Fact is, Iran is looking to find a way to deliver cheap(er) electricity to its exploding population. The gas fields of the north were supposed to go under contract to the Chinese CNOOC conglomerate but the Teheran parliament put a stop to it saying the gas should be exploited for domestic use. The Russian ATOMSTROYEXPORT nuclear company is also strongly behind this nuclear power program - they want a share of lucrative deals since the US and FRance shut them out of the big new markets in China and India.

Let's hope the likes of Kissinger and Schlesinger will go the way of the newspapers that still give them column space - into oblivion.

"Where the bulk of the population cannot read, true democracy is impossible." -- Bertrand Russell

Posted at December 20, 2007 11:06 AM in response to Kissinger and Schlesinger's Lame Attacks on Iran Nuclear Assessment

"I recently had lunch with a political appointee in a major agency based in DC. To my astonishment, he commented that he was uncomfortable having anything to do with China and would certainly never consider traveling there. His response when I asked why? Because it is a communist country(!)"
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Wow, that pretty mush sums up the maturity of our response to China and USA foreign policy toward China! I just came back from another trip to China and believe more firmly than ever that it should be REQUIRED of any lawmaker in our national government and anyone else with real impact on policy toward China that they DO TRAVEL THERE and see for themselves what is going on. And travel unofficially so you can go and see whatever you want. It's so enlightening and important.

As for Cuba, the Chinese have actually been cultivating Cuban relations for a very long time, particularly Raul Castro. Raul even favored swinging Cuba's allegiance to Mao as far back as the Cuban Missile Crisis. I think the Chinese haven't done much with Cuba for obvious political reasons. It was just add to the political anti-China flack Congress wastes so much time with.

"Where the bulk of the population cannot read, true democracy is impossible." -- Bertrand Russell

Posted at April 23, 2007 5:01 PM in response to Cuba Dances with China

If this is any indication of the direction of progressive thinking on globalization than we can look forward to hearing even more blather from the labor supported Democrats (Levin, Sherrod Brown, Clinton, etc., etc.) about slapping 19th Century style tariffs on Chinese products (thereby giving Americans hidden inflation) and further weakening the currency and so and on. All the glossy talk about creating a North American version of the EU to help save our manufacturing is nice but look at realities. Why is it that it's Toyota making the $billion plus investment to build trucks in Tijuana, right on the border? I live on the border and I can tell you their is ZERO constructive engagement between Republican controlled San Diego and the Democratic controlled Congressional districts and Baja Norte. Worse, the new Israel-style wall only gets higher.

You argue in terms of nationalism, bemoaning the global nature of capital but that is the way it has always been unless we turn to a different (communist?) or new (utopian "Union Now"?) system. It took 500 years to drain the riches of China and capital is flowing back there again. Round and round, so it goes. Why criticize the Davos group for trying to see that some of it is used for practical purposes?

"Where the bulk of the population cannot read, true democracy is impossible." -- Bertrand Russell

Posted at February 27, 2007 9:16 AM in response to Confronting Davos: The Class Politics of Global Governance

Senator Schumer, a two part question:

What is the future of S. 295, your bill to impose 27.5% tariffs on Chinese imports?

You voted in favor of PNTR - permanent MFN status - for China in 2000 and the US-China trade deal which your proposed legislation would violate in principle and specifics.

China's currency has already appreciated by half a percent since New Year's Day. Do you think the Chinese are doing enough?

Apart from rather old-fashioned (and discredited) methods such as tariffs, what do you think can be done to protect American manfacturing?

"Where the bulk of the population cannot read, true democracy is impossible." -- Bertrand Russell

Posted at January 29, 2007 4:39 PM in response to Senator Schumer at TPMCafe

China's record on intellectual property protection is hardly the worst in the world. Thailand has for years been just as big an abuser, if not worse, and the list of other offending countries is very very long. It is an old resistant myth that the Chinese reverse engineer everything and are the world's foremost copiers. Fact is, Chinese cars are made together with Hyandai, Toyota, Mazda, GM, Daimler, Ford, etc., etc., in carefully crafted agreements. Delphi has 15 factories in China where they develop NEW auto parts with Chinese designers and design firms - so where is the rip off there?

The intellectual property debate with China is all we have left now for leverage on Beijing which is a pretty sorry state. "Human rights" is dead as an issue thanks to the Bush administration's actions and the strength of China's economy and financial leverage on us. And is this really concern of national policy or national security? How does Quincy Jones's royalties and the profit margin of Disney affect our nation ultimately? Does Bill Gates push back on this? No, he's over in China all the time watching Chinese copy his software and selling them gaming platforms.

"Where the bulk of the population cannot read, true democracy is impossible." -- Bertrand Russell

Posted at January 9, 2007 9:16 AM in response to China Watchers, Watch This

Yes, "unexpected developments in the security situation on the ground" sounds like the neighbors getting involved. Russia is a neighbor and we first embraced Sadaam Hussein to lure him away from Soviet arms. Russia will elect a new President to (finally) replace Putin in March '08 (barring any "unexpected" development there) and Hu Jintao will no doubt be reelected in China that same month. Either country could either directly or through support of Iran and Syria (China and Russia both compete for influence there) change the "security situation."

We will be there as long as we insist on controlling the production and flow of oil. Time to really start facing facts.

"Where the bulk of the population cannot read, true democracy is impossible." -- Bertrand Russell

Posted at December 6, 2006 8:59 AM in response to “Subject to Unexpected Developments”

Yes, these are all good new directions but, as you say, foreign policy is still pretty much the prerogative of the President in our system. So the Dems could try to make changes in direction but then have it vetoed by Bush? It could definitely present a way to isolate him and his closest Republican supporters.

As for energy, why not a real serious discussion with China? In all the dancing around about Iraq it's never discussed that we were (and are) in a major competiton with the Chinese over exploration and new production for oil and gas in Iraq and the Middle East generally. Saddam Hussein had given the Chinese new leases for oil development in the south of Iraq just weeks before our invasion. Similarly, weeks before our invasion of Iraq in 1991, the Chinese and Saudi Arabia normalized relations and began discussions of major oil shipments (and development).

Regarding our consumption of energy, why not embrace the Kyoto concept? If there was a real meaty treaty on global energy use and pollution, and both the USA and China were signatories (and the silly "developing nation" loophole is eliminated) we could have real leverage over the Chinese, something we no longer have on gassy issues such as "human rights."

"Where the bulk of the population cannot read, true democracy is impossible." -- Bertrand Russell

Posted at November 8, 2006 11:37 AM in response to A Vote of No Confidence