Washington Post (June 26)
Sheik Hamad Bin Khalifa al-Thani oversaw Qatar’s rapid economic growth. He came to power 18 years ago after staging a coup against his very own father. “Now the 61-year-old emir has completed another surprising initiative by handing power to his 33-year-old son.” This change “opens the way for adjustments in Qatar’s foreign policies and in the rigid autocracy that still reigns over the skyscrapers and luxury hotels of Doha.” Only time will tell if reform ensues.
Tags: Autocracy, Coup, Doha, Economic growth, Foreign policy, Luxury hotels, Qatar, Reform, Skyscrapers
Financial Times (January 1)
From the onset, Xi Jinping has set a new tone as general secretary of the Communist party. China needs far sweeping reforms as it works to boost domestic demand, strengthen the social safety net, improve governance, and empower consumers and free enterprise. He “should be bold in pushing change” and avoid hiding “reform behind tougher foreign policy.” Dialing down the intensity of territorial disputes would “be a boon for regional peace and security. It would also allow Mr Xi to concentrate on his very real problems at home.”
Financial Times (December 9)
“The political comeback of Shinzo Abe is one of the stranger twists in the recent, convoluted history of Japanese politics…. No one should be under any illusion about Mr Abe. He was a lousy prime minister first time around.” If he now looks like the best candidate this can only be due to “China’s misguided foreign policy, and the sorry state of a Japanese political system unable to produce someone better.”
Tags: Abe, China, Foreign policy, Japan, Politics, Prime minister
Financial Times (December 22)
Moscow will “resume old habits and exploit Europe’s debt-driven disunity.” Despite the economic crisis, the EU must form a united foreign policy front and “seek a constructive relationship with its neighbour. But it should do so without deluding itself about the prospects for Russian reform after Mr Putin’s return to the presidency.”
Tags: Debt crisis, EU, Foreign policy, Moscow, Putin, Russia
