A debate has been boiling over China’s current command over the extraction and export of rare earth metals critical to the function of a variety of high-tech products.  This debate seems to be kicking into a higher gear as a result of the WTO case against China’s export restraints on several popular industrial materials, possibly preceding the establishment of a WTO precedent for ruling on international export of “critical materials.”  In particular, China’s tremendous influence over the market...

Recently, the World Bank published revised statistics on PPP (purchasing power parity) -- adjusted GDP--that suggest that the Chinese economy is 40 percent smaller than was previously estimated. After recently returning from two weeks in southern China, I have to say that the new picture of a poorer China did not surprise me. What struck me was not the building boom - which was evident everywhere - but rather the rampant levels of inefficiency and over-manning throughout the economy. Everywhere...