It’s two weeks since Valentine’s Day. But I’ve just read Egyptian cleric Hazem Shuman’s criticism of the holiday. And I think it deserves repeating. “I have come tonight to warn all boys and girls about an extremely dangerous virus, which is about to attack the hearts of the nation’s youth…we must confront this Valentine virus!”, [...]
Gallery Archive
Forget “Nationalism”. Think “Blocism”
“Nationalism” is on the rise and it is bad news for the Silk Road. I’m reminded of the risks by events in Syria. I recall Syrian friends praising China a few years ago―the arrival of “Made-in-China” goods to the streets of Damascus meant the middle-class could afford to buy the type of high-end consumer goods, [...]
President Hu in Riyadh
China’s President Hu Jintao visited Riyadh last week. It was his second visit in three years. This is a big story, right? Perhaps. It depends on where you are. I was in New York and the story didn’t rate a mention. Instead, the economic crisis has, not surprisingly, gripped the city’s attention. The story, however, [...]
Who’s to Blame?
Who’s to blame for this economic crisis? It’s an important question for governments in Cairo, Islamabad, and Manila: as I wrote last week, they face the challenge of finding jobs for the rising number of migrant workers returning home. So it’s no surprise many governments are pointing to the West, in particular America, as responsible [...]
The ‘Great Money Train’ Slows Down
The Silk Road was, for a while, the world’s largest construction site. From Beijing to Dubai, skyscrapers were erected at a frightening speed. But the economic crisis has taken its toll and the construction sites are closing. Migrant workers are feeling the pinch as they back their bags and head home. This is a big [...]
“China cheat sheet helps investors survive”, Bloomberg, September 1, 2010
“No more silver bullets for Beijing”, Wall Street Journal, June 17, 2010
“China’s historic return to the Gulf”, Foreign Policy, April 2, 2010
