China’s official purchaser managers’ index (PMI) for May again reached a reading above 50, signalling a third month of expansion for the country’s manufacturing sector. While the index dropped slightly to 53.1 from April’s 53.3, it remained clearly above the contraction threshold of 50. Analysts see the positive PMI indicator as a sign that the government’s stimulus package is starting to have an impact and China’s recovery is under way. While export demand remains weak, it is more than offset by strong growth in domestic demand, especially government’s fixed asset investment.
China’s National Energy Administration said at a news conference on June 1 it would soon submit a stimulus plan for the alternative energy sector for approval by the State Council and the National Development and Reform Commission. The plan will cover wind energy, biomass and solar power, as well as clean coal and biofuel technologies.
China has expressed confidence in the strength and dynamism of the U.S. economy, U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner said in an interview during his two-day visit to China. While Beijing remains positive about U.S. economic recovery in the long term, some officials expressed doubts about the immediate recovery and debt reduction of the U.S. Mr. Geithner’s visit will be followed by strategic and economic talks between China and the U.S. in Washington at the end of July.
A few months ago, I wrote about the early stages of the conflict in Ukraine through the lens of Sun Tzu’s The Art of War. While it appears likely that the war will carry on into the foreseeable future, enough time has passed for us to make an honest assessment of each side’s relative […]
The Ukrainian Army has made dramatic strides in the last few weeks. Ukraine’s tactical commanders have outfoxed their Russian counterparts, and by issuing a feint towards the south the UA has been able to earn substantial gains in the north of their country. The impact of these efforts have been compounded by the steady stream […]
In mid-May the Irish political party, Sinn Féin, won the plurality of seats in the Northern Ireland Assembly. Many American readers might not fully understand the significance of Sinn Féin’s political victory- but rest assured that subjects of the United Kingdom and a wide range of political movements the world over have heard the message […]
The first wave of the Russian offensive in Ukraine has fallen short of Russian autocrat Vladmir Putin’s ambitions. Most analysts deduced that Putin had hoped to achieve a decapitation strike of the Ukrainian government- taking Kiev and replacing Ukrainian President Vladimir Zolinski with a pro-Kremlin voice. Kiev has been threatened repeatedly through the course of […]
On the weekend of March 26th, the notorious MS-13 gang went on a massive killing spree in El Salvador which left more than 70 people dead by Sunday. Even for a country where powerful gangs hold massive sway, this recent tragedy stands out considering that it was the bloodiest day on record since the civil […]
