I am sharing an article on the topic of Taiwan-PRC diplomatic competition in Central America.

The article examines the recent visit by Taiwan's president Tsai Ing-wen to Central America, in the context of the possible breakdown of the informal "diplomatic truce" which has prevailed between Taiwan and mainland China since 2008.

This work is available from the ejourunal "Global Taiwan Brief," and the full text can be found below as well.

In general, China’s gross domestic product (GDP) in 2017 is likely expected to grow similarly as this year’s around 6.5%, with the consumer price index (CPI) inflating around 3%. Those officially targets will be confirmed later around 20th December 2016 at China's annual year-end top economic meeting, named the Central Economic Work Conference.

I would like to introduce my recent work on the crisis in Venezuela, and the potential for the incoming administration of President-elect Trump to contribute to a solution, applying the unpredictability that he has already applied, with surprising success, in his dialogue with the President of Taiwan.

You can check out the report here.

On November 21, 2016, the People’s Republic of China (PRC) published its second white paper on its policy toward Latin America and the Caribbean.   Although the document received very little attention in either the U.S. or region, it serves as a valuable indicator of China’s intentions toward the region, both through what it says on its face, and how it may be read “between the lines.”

Co-authored with Daniel Wagner.

After having been the top destination of inward foreign direct investment for decades, China’s investment orientation has become increasingly outward looking. In 2014, China’s outbound FDI surpassed inbound FDI for the first time. Last year, the country became the world’s second-largest source of outward FDI. And in the near term, its overseas investments are expected to grow 10 percent a year, and exceed $2 trillion by 2020.

I am sharing a report written by Leo Melamed, Chairman Emeritus of the CME Group, you can find the report by clicking here.

From July 16-31, 2016, I had the opportunity to travel to Beijing, China to teach a course on Latin America at the University of International Business and Economics.  While there, as usually occurs when I travel to China, I also had the opportunity to speak to colleagues there, including academics, businessmen, and in one case, Chinese managers and technical personnel being trained for assignments to Latin America and the Caribbean.