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Due Diligence on China starts here.

Nationalism in China is a double-edged sword.  On the one hand, it can be a powerful creative force in China, as people from every walk of life and level of society are exhorted to excel and improve.  On the other hand, Chinese nationalism often manifests itself as xenophobia and isolationism. 
Is China growing more nationalistic?  Almost [...]

Let’s assume that Senator Hillary Clinton becomes Secretary of State under the new Obama administration.  What will that mean to US-China relations?
It all depends on WHICH Hillary Clinton we see – because there are two.  
On the one hand, there is HC that views China as a competitor and a serial human rights violator.  As [...]

Thanksgiving is a happy time – where friends and family come together to celebrate their blessings of the past year.  That’s why I want you to look at two posts now – before the holiday starts.  The good news is that the bad news is becoming clearer.  Still bleak, but what do you expect from [...]

The biggest single threat to US-Chinese relations over the next year is disengagement.   The US is going to take its eye off the ball and put the most successful international relationship of the last 100 years in jeopardy.
Bush is redefining ‘lame duck’ as he buries his head and hides from sight.  2-term presidents are all about the [...]

The statistics and trend lines have already had almost all of the impact they are going to have in the US.  My mother just told me that the recent stock market drops left her so upset that she couldn’t sleep.  When retired grandmothers on Long Island are going sleepless because of the Dow Jones Industrials, [...]

So let’s say you are a NY business owner and you’re watching demand for your services collapse around your ears.  Structurally, your company is in OK shape.  You’ve got retained earnings, your debt isn’t crazy, your spend is high but manageable.  The only problem you’ve got is that your forward cash flow is looking very, [...]

The old stories are the best stories, but sometimes you have to pull back and skip over some of the details. 5 years ago the glossy newsweeklies were gushing about a China that would leapfrog the west. Now they are talking about the China that will outlast the west. 
The engine of China’s growth is about to [...]

Look out past this week’s headlines.  Forget the statistics and details for a moment.  What are the Big Trends that we’ll all be living with for the next 10 – 15 years.  Stop fretting about the next 18 months - look at what could happen.
A Smaller, Smarter USA
The US takes its lumps.  Obama champions a [...]

Hu JinTao is welcome to bring cash, but if he has any White Rabbit candy in his carry-on luggage he’ll have to eat them before the plane lands in Washington for the G20 summit on Nov15.  
The NYTimes wrote about new product testing in the 11/13 edition, titled F.D.A. Detains Chinese Imports for Testing:
Candy, snacks, cereal [...]

No one likes the tune, but the recession song is definitely getting louder in China.  Denial is a lousy option.  If you’ve got plenty of cash and strong marketing channels, you will probably be able to take hard steps necessary to survive what could be a long, deep recession.  Not everyone will be so lucky.
One [...]