Monthly Archives: February 2010
Akio Toyoda’s Damage Repair
Last year, Toyota had to recall more cars from the China market than it had sold the previous year following quality problems at two of its joint ventures, Guangzhou Auto and Tianjin FAW. Last month it had to recall 75,000 … Continue reading
Filed under China-Japan, industry
China Still Largest Holder of U.S. Treasuries
When the U.S. Treasury announced its December numbers for net foreign holdings of U.S. Treasury bills earlier this month showing Japan had displaced China as the largest holder, we advised a watch and see approach. Having waited a couple of … Continue reading
Filed under China-U.S., Economy
Southwestern Drought Spreads
Drought in the southwest is spreading. Xinhua reports that 7.5 million people, mostly in Yunnan some in Guizhou, are now facing water shortages, a million and a half more than a week ago. In Guizhou emergency water supplies are being … Continue reading
Filed under Economy, Environment, Politics & Society
Sichuan Tengzhong’s Hummer Bid Dies On The Vine
Sichuan Tengzhong Heavy Industrial Machinery’s $150 million bid for GM’s Hummer division has fallen through having failed to win approval from Chinese regulators. GM says it will begin winding down the iconic brand. The Commerce Ministry, as we predicted, was … Continue reading
Filed under China-U.S., industry
Zhu Min: A Banker On The Rise
Our man who was in Davos for the World Economic Forum brings to our attention an announcement from the International Monetary Fund that Zhu Min, a deputy governor of the People’s Bank of China, has been appointed a special advisor … Continue reading
Filed under Politics & Society
The Rotten State Of China’s Football
China should be a power in Asian football by dint of raw population size if nothing else. Yet it occupies 10th spot in FIFA’s regional rankings (and is 87th in the world). It failed to qualify for the 2010 FIFA … Continue reading
Filed under Politics & Society
Drought Worsens In Southwest China
Up to 6 million people have been affected by drought in south and southwestern China. Conditions are said to be the most arid in more than half a century, echoing the situation on the similarly drought-stricken North China Plain before … Continue reading
Filed under Environment, Politics & Society
China Cuts Holdings Of U.S. Debt. So What?
This Bystander always cautions against reading too much into any one month’s economic statistics, though, of course, trends have to start somewhere. So we suggest no more than keeping a weather eye on foreign holdings of U.S. Treasury bills at … Continue reading
Filed under China-U.S., Economy
China’s Domestic Leadership
A Kim Jong Il birthday day discussion about how the isolation of North Korea’s leaders shape their country’s reactions to the rest of the world in what often appears an irrational way turned to China’s worldview and how it presents … Continue reading
Filed under China-E.U., China-U.S., Politics & Society
