Paul Krugman, Professor of Economics at Princeton, argues in the NY Times that the biggest foreign policy issues for the next president will not be related to 9/11 or the war in Iraq. Rather, they will involve the consequences of China’s rapid economic growth.
- The $100 a barrel oil price is a "made-in-China phenomenon," given that China has been responsible for about a third of the growth in world oil consumption.
- A surge in cheap imports from China could affect wages in the West.
- Climate change is a China issue. China is already, by some estimates, the world’s largest emitter of greenhouse gases, playing a disproportionate role in emissions growth.
In essence, US voters should look for a president who has good negotiating skills, given that China is both "too big to be bullied" and "too cynical to be charmed."
"(external)New York Times, January 4, 2008":http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/04/opinion/04krugman.html?ex=1357102800&en=433d0d0ed4607cd6&ei=5090&partner=rssuserland&emc=rss&pagewanted=all
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