China

Chinese manufacturing in free fall as export markets collapse

By James Cogan, November 7, 2008

Output by China’s vast manufacturing sector, which employs tens of millions of workers and has functioned as the cheap labour workshop of the globe, is slowing dramatically.

Global recession threatens mass lay-offs in China

By John Chan, October 28, 2008

A wave of protests by laid-off workers is a sign of what is to come as the global recession hits China.

Can China fund the US and European bailouts?

By John Chan, October 23, 2008

As American and European governments outlined bailouts of their failing banks to the tune of $US2.8 trillion, it is obvious that none of them have sufficient cash.

China’s land reform will deepen the gulf between rich and poor

By John Chan, October 17, 2008

The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) launched a far-reaching new round of market reform at its Central Committee plenum on October 9-12. The meeting established the framework for peasants to freely trade...

Corruption and shoddy construction behind school collapses in China earthquake

By Carol Divjak, October 16, 2008

Four months after the massive earthquake in Sichuan province on May 12, a Chinese government committee finally admitted last month that shoddy workmanship and substandard materials—the result of cor...

China’s first space walk signals new rivalry in outer space

By John Chan, October 13, 2008

China's third manned space flight, launched on September 25 and returning to earth on September 28, was its most ambitious. Some 40 years after the Soviet Union and the US, China has become only the t...

Fears in China about the impact of global economic crisis

By John Chan, October 9, 2008

Beijing is increasingly worried about the impact of the global financial storm and looming international recession on the Chinese economy. While joining other major economies to try to stabilise Ameri...

Asian stocks tumble after rejection of US bailout package

By John Chan, October 2, 2008

All major share markets across Asia tumbled badly on Tuesday after the US House of Representatives rejected the Bush administration's $US700 billion rescue package for Wall Street.

China’s milk crisis: another disaster unleashed by the capitalist market

Unregulated dairy industry

By John Chan, September 24, 2008

The contamination of Chinese milk products with the toxic industrial chemical melamine is rapidly becoming a major national and international scandal. Already, some 53,000 infants have become sick and...

Row over Internet

By John Chan, September 22, 2008

Relations between Vietnam and China deteriorated over the past fortnight after Hanoi formally protested at online discussions in China about a war with Vietnam. While only a small layer of Chinese nat...

The American “financial tsunami” hits Asia

Regional downturn

By John Chan, September 18, 2008

The American financial crisis has sent shockwaves throughout Asia over the past few days as governments, banks and corporations scramble to cope with plunging share prices, international financial tur...

Nuclear Supplier Group gives India unique “waiver,” but only after row between Delhi and Beijing

China’s opposition

By Kranti Kumara and Deepal Jayasekera, September 17, 2008

In the face of immense political pressure from the United States and a frantic Indian lobbying campaign, the 45-nation Nuclear Supplier Group agreed on September 6 to grant India a unique “waive...