China Note The Trade War Is Not the Only Drag on China’s Slowing Economy Benjamin Wilhelm Wednesday, July 17, 2019 Economic data published Monday revealed China’s economy is growing at its slowest pace since at least 1992. A slump in trade was a main reason for the slowdown, and President Donald Trump greeted the news with delight. But in addition to trade concerns, China’s financial system is also showing signs of weakness.
South Korea and Japan Are Embroiled in a Trade War. Can the U.S. Step In? Elliot Waldman Wednesday, July 17, 2019 As the U.S.-China trade war casts a pall over the global economy, a separate dispute between two of China’s neighbors—and two U.S. allies—is adding to the gloomy outlook. The Trump administration had stayed on the sidelines, but the severity of the standoff between Japan and South Korea is now forcing its hand.
Q&A Same-Sex Marriage Is Legal in Ecuador, but Will All Ecuadorians Accept It? The Editors Monday, July 15, 2019 Ecuador’s highest court ruled last month that the country’s prohibition on same-sex marriage was unconstitutional. The 5-4 verdict was a victory for LGBT activists in the heavily Catholic country, but it is not clear that the decision will be accepted among all segments of Ecuadorian society, says Amy Lind.
Africa Watch What Can the African Continental Free Trade Area Really Deliver? Andrew Green Friday, July 12, 2019 It took four years of discussions, but the African Continental Free Trade Area, or AfCFTA, is officially operational. African leaders gathered in Niger’s capital last weekend to launch the trade zone, which they hope will create a $3.4 trillion economic bloc and bolster development across Africa.
China Note China’s Plan to Deal With Its Trash by Burning It Provokes a Public Backlash Benjamin Wilhelm Wednesday, July 10, 2019 The central Chinese city of Wuhan put a garbage-burning power plant on hold this week after days of protests against the project. As the government struggles to come up with solutions to China’s waste problem, one of the country’s most pressing environmental issues, city-dwellers must fend for themselves.
Q&A Under Threat of U.S. Sanctions, India Is Reevaluating Its Ties With Iran The Editors Tuesday, July 9, 2019 After the U.S. announced in May that it was ending sanctions waivers for countries to purchase oil from Iran, India has been forced to diversify its suppliers. In an interview, Harsh V. Pant explains how the Trump administration’s sanctions are forcing New Delhi to reassess its economic ties with Iran.
Q&A Trump Has Exaggerated the Threat of China’s Monopoly on Rare Earths The Editors Monday, July 8, 2019 The U.S. wants to diversify its supply of rare earth elements in order to address China’s near-monopoly control over these important minerals, which are used in an array of products. While that may sound sensible on paper, it is based on an unrealistic portrayal of the threat, says Eugene Gholz in an interview.
Africa Watch Will Nigeria Be the Launchpad for Africa’s #MeToo Reckoning? Andrew Green Friday, July 5, 2019 Can a #MeToo moment that originated in Nigeria’s evangelical community last week spark a regional movement? A rape allegation against the head of an influential church in Nigeria has prompted calls for a broader reckoning with sexual abuse and harassment, as well as gender inequality, in Nigeria and across Africa.
China Note Will the Storming of Hong Kong’s Legislature Doom Its Protest Movement? Benjamin Wilhelm Wednesday, July 3, 2019 Hong Kong was rocked by more protests Monday, the 22nd anniversary of its return to Chinese rule. While hundreds of thousands of peaceful protesters took to the streets, a smaller group of activists stormed the city’s legislature, revealing a divide in the protest movement that could undermine it.
Do Dire Economic Conditions in North Korea Threaten Kim’s Legitimacy? Elliot Waldman Tuesday, July 2, 2019 A prolonged drought and harsh economic sanctions have made already lean times in North Korea especially dire, with the United Nations warning in May of a “hunger crisis.” Last year’s harvest was the worst in 10 years. Will these difficult economic conditions lead to a change in Kim Jong Un’s behavior?
Q&A How Trump Is ‘Destroying Protections’ for Victims of Human Trafficking The Editors Tuesday, July 2, 2019 The State Department recently released its annual Trafficking in Persons Report, which ranks countries by their efforts to combat human trafficking. The U.S. has always received the best possible rating, but President Donald Trump’s policies call that assessment into doubt, says Martina Vandenberg.
Q&A Bolsonaro and Macri Look for Better Ties to Distract From Their Domestic Troubles The Editors Friday, June 28, 2019 Earlier this month, Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro made his first trip to Argentina since taking office. The focus of the visit was largely on economic issues, but it was also an opportunity for both Bolsonaro and President Mauricio Macri to take the focus off their respective political troubles at home.
