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Falling growth rates in China may signal a much-needed transfer of wealth from the state to the household sector, a vital aspect of economic rebalancing.
While President Obama will use his ten day trip to the Asia-Pacific to demonstrate that the United States is serious about its involvement in the region, his substantive agenda appears thin and may disappoint those with high expectations.
China's economic and political rise is a popular topic in international policy circles, as policymakers in the United States and abroad worry about issues ranging from questionable trade practices to an increasingly advanced military.
President Obama's trip to the Pacific will be an important milestone in his administration’s steady and determined effort to re-establish a diplomatic presence and develop closer ties with a region that is driving the world economy and unsettling the established global balance of power.
Forcing the renminbi to appreciate might shift the burden of unemployment from the United States to China, but it would also set a dangerous precedent for future trade and currency wars.
Recent changes in Myanmar’s behavior suggest that its leaders may be attempting to shift away from dependence on China and seek greater legitimacy at home.
China has passed the point where double-digit growth alone can guarantee price stability and employment. It must now pursue more balanced and less rapid economic growth.
President Obama's interactions with Chinese officials during his November visit to the East Asian Summit will be part of a high visibility effort by the United States to “rebalance” its attention to Asia.
Blaming the undervalued Chinese renminbi for America's economic ills is convenient but counterproductive, given the complicated causes of U.S. trade imbalances.
Given that maintaining the status quo in the Taiwan Strait risks a serious confrontation with China, Washington should consider negotiating directly with Beijing, in consultation with Taipei, to move toward a more stable cross-strait relationship.