Money

China

China, Venezuela, and the Illusion of Debt-Trap Diplomacy

Thursday, August 16, 2018

China has often been accused of practicing “debt-trap diplomacy”—miring supposed partners, particularly developing countries, in unsustainable debt-based relationships. But this is a misreading of the issue, and nowhere is this more apparent than in China’s dealings with Venezuela.

Global

Corruption Eats Away at Asia-Pacific Growth

Thursday, June 28, 2018

Corruption has long been a prominent problem in the Asia-Pacific, but many countries have seemingly lacked the will to combat it. Until measures are enacted to increase transparency and accountability in governance, corruption will continue to gnaw away at economic gains.

Asia Pacific

How Can Asia Boost Philanthropy?

Thursday, June 14, 2018

Wealth in Asia is growing rapidly, but philanthropy has not kept pace. Governments should improve regulation and change tax and fiscal policies to make it easier for Asians and corporations to give in a systematic way. They should also ensure donations can efficiently reach organizations working to meet society’s needs.

China

Belt and Road’s Future Lies in California

Thursday, June 7, 2018

China’s Belt and Road Initiative seems to focus on connections with Africa, Central Asia, and Eastern Europe. But the country’s economic future is really in “netware” technology, similar to America’s. Contrary to how BRI is viewed and talked about now, China’s more profitable path actually points, as illuminated by the likes of Alibaba and Tencent, eastward to California.

Global

Superstition and Gambling on the Stock Market

Thursday, May 24, 2018

Nearly 10% of stock market investors trade as if they are gambling. This leads to more trades and more money on the market, but yields much lower returns for the investors. We should acknowledge this behavior and boost financial education and risk assessment, rather than assuming that investors are perfectly rational.

China

The U.S.-Launched Trade War Affects Us All

Thursday, April 26, 2018

The United States has likely launched a trade war with its announcement of new tariffs targeted at Chinese imports. But this strategy could backfire, with devastating effects that reverberate far beyond the U.S.

China

China and the Building of Africa’s Information Societies

Thursday, April 26, 2018

Despite suspicions, China's engagement in developing Africa's telecom infrastructure has not led to an imposition of an authoritarian model of information control on the continent. Concerns should rather focus on the promotion of a top-down governmental model of development, which has proved inefficient.

China

Combating the China Hustle

Thursday, April 19, 2018

The documentary “The China Hustle” exposes fraudulent transnational listings that are costing millions of investors billions of dollars. How can stock markets around the world combat this major threat to the global economy? The answer may lie in extraterritoriality.

China

Blockchain in China: Tussle Between Control and Openness

Thursday, March 22, 2018

China seems to be of two minds about blockchain, cracking down on cryptocurrencies while recognizing the enormous potential of the technology behind them. Only permissioned, centralized versions of blockchain will be allowed to develop in China, but doesn’t this defeat the purpose of a technology designed to be open, in more ways than one?

Global

Addressing Inequality from Global and Asian Perspectives

Wednesday, February 14, 2018

On February 1, 2018, AsiaGlobal Online invited Dr Lucas Chancel and Dr Li Yang from the Paris School of Economics to present and discuss trends in global income inequality, on the basis of the "World Inequality Report 2018." The report was co-written with Thomas Piketty and draws on the work of more than 100 researchers around the world, with Chancel as a lead coordinator. Below are videos of the presentations and brief summaries of the key takeaways.

China

Beyond the U.S.-China Race for Geotechnological Supremacy

Thursday, February 1, 2018

The world is looking on uneasily as China challenges the United States as a technological power, but a zero-sum game is not an inevitability. Governments, businesses, and civil society can come together to help the world break out of this duopoly for a more sustainable future.

China

Why Inequality Divergence Between China and Russia?

Thursday, February 1, 2018

China and Russia followed two distinct approaches to reform, leading to drastically different trajectories of economic growth. While both countries have experienced rising inequality over the last 30 years, Russia’s income distribution has worsened at a faster pace and in a bigger magnitude. What caused the difference in income distribution dynamics between the two? There are important lessons to be learned on the impact of policy decisions on inequality.

China

When the Dollar Spoke Spanish

Thursday, January 25, 2018

What makes a currency global? The Spanish peso that started circulating internationally in the 16th century offers a case study. The opening of new trade routes and security innovations made it the world's most widely demanded currency. It facilitated the integration of China, the Americas, and Europe into a world economy, creating a status quo that lasted until the 19th century.

Global

The Palace and the Harbor

Thursday, January 4, 2018

As fair trade and corporate social responsibility (CSR) gain traction as responses to a perceived neglect of ethics in business today, a look back at Asia-Europe exchanges in the early modern era reminds us that trade has always been a moral endeavor.

Global

Making Sense of Global Disorder

Thursday, January 4, 2018

Global economies seem to be doing reasonably well in the face of an array of potentially destabilizing political issues. But this may not last if we do not tackle a non-inclusive pattern of growth and do more to address the needs of people and societies.

Global

Rise of East Asia in the Global Innovation Index

Thursday, January 4, 2018

With their focus on economic development through innovation, the countries of East Asia are rising quickly through the ranks of the Global Innovation Index. These countries are not merely growing individually—they are growing with one another.