Showing 1 - 10 of 22
The economy depends on forests
Oped, Zhimin Wu, Published on 23/03/2026
» Money may not grow on trees, but much of our prosperity does.
Electricity will decide who wins the great AI race
News, Jeffrey Wu, Published on 20/10/2025
» The next stage of the global AI race will be decided not by algorithms or chips, but by electricity -- and that puts China at a distinct advantage. While Western tech giants are emphasising closed, capital-intensive models that demand enormous computing power, China is embracing open source AI and massively expanding its renewable- and nuclear-energy capacity, thereby positioning itself to deploy powerful AI technologies at scale without breaking the bank.
China's unbeatable new export is not a product
Oped, Jeffrey Wu, Published on 24/07/2025
» The Chinese "cannot be allowed to export their way back to prosperity", argues US Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent, who claims that China's economy is the "most unbalanced in history". Such remarks reflect the growing fear in Washington that China's overcapacity, subsidies, and dumping are distorting global trade.
If in doubt, just have a cup of tea
Roger Crutchley, Published on 25/05/2025
» You may recall last week's Battle of Britain item in PostScript featured two English ladies' who came across a German pilot who had crashed in a field. Their first reaction was to offer him a cup of tea, an indication of just how "having a cuppa" is ingrained in British culture. Admittedly that was 85 years ago but even these days most Brits wouldn't turn down a "cuppa".
Watch your step these stormy nights
Roger Crutchley, Published on 18/05/2025
» The rainstorms during the past week have been really refreshing. They've cooled things down a bit which is quite a relief after perspiring my way through April. I also appreciate the accompanying rolling thunder which provides a stirring theatrical soundtrack for the rain sloshing down. It's just another reminder of how powerful Mother Nature can be.
Taiwan signals new openness to nuclear power
News, Matthew Winkler, Miaojung Lin, Debby Wu and Yian Lee, Published on 23/10/2024
» Taiwan is "very open" to using new nuclear technology to meet surging demand from chipmakers devouring electricity in the AI boom, according to Premier Cho Jung-tai -- one of the strongest signs yet that the government is rethinking its opposition to reactors.
US can't rely on inflation shamanism
News, James K Galbraith, Published on 23/09/2024
» Google "shamanism" and you will find that it is "a tradition of part-time religious specialists who establish and maintain personalistic relations with specific spirit beings through the use of controlled and culturally scripted altered states of consciousness." Every element of that definition applies to monetary policymaking today, as illustrated by the reaction to the US Federal Reserve's Sept 18 decision to cut the short-term interest rate by 50 basis points.
Technology brings SDG goals closer
News, Zhimin Wu, Published on 22/07/2024
» In the face of escalating threats to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030, the global community stands at a crossroads.
Thailand through the looking glass
Roger Crutchley, Published on 07/01/2024
» It's that time of the year when newspaper columnists predict what's in store for the next 12 months. Hopefully it will be an improvement on last year. We have just about scraped through the Year of the Rabbit but I haven't got too much faith in what the Year of the Dragon has to offer. We cannot rule out another annus horribilis.
Let's have green spaces everywhere
Oped, Zhimin Wu, Published on 20/10/2023
» A few years ago, a university professor came up with the "3-30-300" rule. It envisions a world where everyone can see at least three trees from their window, live in a neighbourhood with at least 30% tree cover, and be no more than 300 metres away from high-quality urban green spaces.