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Barron’s (January 26)

2025/ 01/ 28 by jd in Global News

“A chilling effect has spread throughout the Communist Party ranks as President Xi Jinping intensifies his crackdown on corruption. Those fears are beginning to extend into China’s business world” where the private sector is increasingly “nervous because of the size and scope of Xi’s campaign to rid insubordination or perceived enemies throughout the government and public sector.” In 2024, the campaign’s scope expanded by roughly 46%, with authorities disciplining 889,000 people, “the highest annual total since the party began releasing such data nearly 20 years ago.”

 

New York Times (November 27)

2024/ 11/ 29 by jd in Global News

“The inflation risk stalking the markets eased over the summer,” but is now “front and center again as investors contend with a Trumponomics crackdown on immigration, a rising trade-war risk and a potential bonanza of tax cuts.” Trump’s “latest trade threats show how uncertain the outlook could be”. Since he vowed “to impose tariffs on Canada, China and Mexico…analysts have been gaming out the potential impact.” It could be an opening gambit of little consequence, but “economists fear that it could add bottlenecks and costs to supply chains and reignite inflation, and that it could scramble the Fed’s policy on interest rates.”

 

Reuters (October 17)

2022/ 10/ 18 by jd in Global News

“Local governments have long been a pump-primer of China’s growth, but declining state land sales revenue in the wake of an ongoing crackdown on debt in the sector has severely eroded their financial power – a situation exacerbated this year by China’s feeble growth, weak tax income and crippling COVID restrictions.” These bodies now face budget shortfalls of roughly $1 trillion. Amid China’s wobbly economy, “the timing couldn’t be worse.”

 

Wall Street Journal (January 1)

2021/ 01/ 02 by jd in Global News

“The crackdown continues in Hong Kong, and this week the Chinese government made an example of the territory’s most prominent political prisoners.” Beijing has now adopted “Soviet or North Korean behavior, and we hope that Joe Biden and his officials will speak plainly against it.”

 

South China Morning Post (August 14)

2019/ 08/ 15 by jd in Global News

“The crisis in Hong Kong appears to be careening towards a devastating climax.” But China “must pick the least bad option to resolve Hong Kong crisis” and that’s not a PLA crackdown. The PLA would be treated “as invaders, and resistance would be fierce and casualties unavoidable.” Furthermore, “an exodus of expats and elites would follow, and the Hong Kong economy – still a bridge between China the rest of the world – would almost immediately collapse.”

 

Institutional Investor (December 1)

2015/ 12/ 02 by jd in Global News

A crackdown in China on the securities industry “is shaking confidence.” The crackdown includes “the disappearance of a top brokerage executive” who many presume has been removed for questioning. These and other events are “fueling worries that President Xi Jinping’s crackdown on alleged abuses in the securities industry is turning into a campaign against political rivals.”

 

Financial Times (August 31)

2015/ 09/ 01 by jd in Global News

“China’s government has decided to abandon attempts to boost the stock market through large-scale share purchases, and will instead intensify efforts to find and punish those suspected of “destabilising the market.” Many will appreciate the capitulation to market forces, but the prospect of a witch hunt stokes new fears. “In a worrying signal for global investors with a presence in China, some officials have argued strongly for a crackdown on ‘foreign forces,’ which they say have intentionally unsettled the market.”

 

Wall Street Journal (February 16, 2014)

2014/ 02/ 16 by jd in Global News

“It’s getting ugly in Venezuela.” The economy is crumbling with inflation north of 56% and wide-spread shortages, which have caused some factories to close. Amid growing protests, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro is consolidating power using deaths at recent protests “to justify a government crackdown on growing civic unrest directed at his leadership and a deteriorating economy.” A natural “strongman,” President Maduro is now following “the Cuban model.”

 

New York Times (June 4)

2013/ 06/ 05 by jd in Global News

The U.S. has eased sanctions on Iran to allow the export of mobile phones, laptops, encryption software and related technology to individual Iranians. “This should improve the ability of Iranians to circumvent their government’s unrelenting crackdown on dissenting opinion and communicate with each other and the outside world without reprisal.” The move is overdue. “Tensions between Iran and the United States—over Syria and terrorism, as well as the nuclear program—will almost certainly get worse, barring some unexpected new policies in Tehran. But America will be in a stronger position if it is seen as standing with the Iranian people.”

 

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