One of China’s most prestigious and influential magazines, Caijing, today ran my article on free trade: “Weaken Our Trade Barriers: It is not only America’s leaders who are erring, Chinese leaders must also change their trade policies.” It was based on a presentation I made at a seminar on trade policy at the Unirule Institute in Beijing. (Note: Click on the images to enlarge them to readable size.)


At the bottom of the page is a comment, expressing agreement, by Prof. Feng Xingyuan of the China Academy of Social Sciences and the Cathay Institute of Public Affairs.

Note: Careful readers of the Chinese text will note on page 1 references to “Lou Dobbs” and “Jack Cafferty,” two notorious China bashers on “CNN” whom I set straight. And further note: I can’t read Chinese, either. I wish I could.

Moscow Tea Parties! – Protesting the Kremlin’s New Trade Law

The FreedomToTrade.org campaign is organizing a petition to resist calls for “Green Protectionism.” I’ve signed and I encourage others to do so, as well.

Held at the Unirule Institute on November 20: “自由贸易与公民社会对美国、中国和世界的冲击“*

*Translated, and not by me!

“Free Trade = Harmonious Society” and “Free Trade is the Best Policy”

EurasiaNet.org: GEORGIA: SAAKASHVILI WANTS TBILISI TO BECOME “GOVERNMENT-LITE”

Ilia Chavchavadze

The Georgian leader used a reference to a national cultural icon, the revered 19th century novelist Ilia Chavchavadze, to sway any doubters who believe that liberalism is “a non-Georgian word.” Chavchavadze, a nobleman who led Georgia’s 19th century national movement and was later canonized, was “the first Georgian libertarian,” Saakashvili claimed, the Civil.ge news service reported.
“By choosing liberalism, we are choosing Ilia’s way,” Saakashvili said.

His speech is available in Russian here. (I will search for English.)
More information: “Saakashvili Lays Out ‘Act on Economic Freedom’”

BBC: “Turkey, Armenia to restore ties”

Arguing over the nature or magnitude of crimes in the past is not necessarily a bad thing, unless it gets in the way of peace and freedom. It’s time for the people of Turkey and Armenia to discuss the past openly, through private discussion and through the institutions of civil society, and for their governments to make peace and allow peaceful exchanges among their people.

James Fallows in The Atlantic: “FT, Economist, and me”

I’ll post a response later (gotta rush to a meeting now), but it will be fun to show how he has focused on a non-essential difference.

Hat Tip: Jude Blanchette