Articles

For Companies, Winning in China Now Means Losing Somewhere Else
The debacle over Olympic sponsorship shows how the U.S.-China relationship has turned into a minefield for companies trying to do business in both countries.
The New York Times, Feb. 18, 2022

U.S. Effort to Combat Forced Labor Targets Corporate China Ties
The Biden administration is expected to face scrutiny as it decides how to enforce a new ban on products made with forced labor in the Xinjiang region of China.
The New York Times, Dec. 23, 2021

Crunch at Ports May Mean Crisis for American Farms
Backlogs and cancellations are hitting growers as costs rise, profits slump and overseas customers shop elsewhere.
The New York Times, Nov. 14, 2021

Angling for a Merry Fishmas, Despite Shipping Delays
The travails of a Chicago fishing company’s advent calendar highlight the supply chain hurdles for businesses trying to deliver items in time for the holidays.
The New York Times, Oct. 31, 2021

China’s Solar Dominance Presents Biden With an Ugly Dilemma
President Biden’s vow to work with China on climate change is clashing with his promise to defend human rights.
The New York Times, April 20, 2021

The Agency at the Center of America’s Tech Fight With China
Washington lawmakers, lobbyists and other parties have been vying to influence how the Bureau of Industry and Security, under the Biden administration, will approach a technology relationship with China.
The New York Times, Mar. 26, 2021

In Washington, Free Trade Is No Longer Gospel
Like its predecessor, the Biden administration has largely dispensed with the idea of free trade as a goal in and of itself.
The New York Times, Mar. 17, 2021

Chinese Solar Companies Tied to the Use of Forced Labor
A new report shows some of the world’s biggest solar companies work with the Chinese government to absorb workers from Xinjiang, programs that are often seen as a red flag for forced labor..
The New York Times, Jan. 8, 2021

With Americans Stuck at Home, Trade With China Roars Back
Reducing trade with China was supposed to happen in 2020. But demand for Chinese goods has soared amid pandemic lockdowns.
The New York Times, Dec 14, 2020

Nike and Coca-Cola Lobby Against Xinjiang Forced Labor Bill
Business groups and major companies like Apple have been pressing Congress to alter legislation cracking down on imports of goods made with forced labor from persecuted Muslim minorities in China.
The New York Times, Nov. 29, 2020

U.S. Diplomats and Spies Battle Trump Administration Over Suspected Attacks
American officials in China, Cuba and Russia say U.S. agencies are concealing the true extent of the episodes, leaving colleagues vulnerable to hostile actions abroad.
The New York Times, Oct. 19, 2020

The Pandemic Isn’t Bringing Back Factory Jobs, At Least Not Yet
It’s a moment of reckoning for global supply chains. But that doesn’t mean companies are flocking back to the United States
The New York Times, July 22, 2020

Pork Chops vs. People: Battling Coronavirus in an Iowa Meat Plant
Amid an epidemic, meat plants are reopening. Can they do so without endangering their low-wage workers and their communities?
The New York Times, May 10, 2020

Global Trade Sputters, Leaving Too Much Here, Too Little There
As the pandemic stretches on, consumers and businesses could run short of some products in months to come.
The New York Times, April 10, 2020

U.S. Trade Deficit Shrinks, but Not Because Factories Are Returning
New trade data for 2019 reflects a cooling economy and a year of aggressive trade clashes, particularly with China.
The New York Times, February 5, 2020

Trump’s China Deal Creates Collateral Damage for Tech Firms
Micron secured some gains from the China deal but it may end up suffering bigger losses from the broader U.S.-China battle
The New York Times, January 20, 2020

Trump’s Trade Deals Raise, Rather Than Remove, Economic Barriers
The president’s China and North American trade pacts reverse a trend of opening markets that was decades in the making.
The New York Times, December 17, 2019

Trump’s Trade Deal Steals a Page From Democrats’ Playbook
The president has made a trade agreement that caters to his opposition — and that’s why it stands a chance of passing Congress.
The New York Times, December 1, 2019

Chinese Investment Pits Wall Street Against Washington
Lawmakers and Trump officials want to stop federal employee retirement funds from flowing to Chinese companies.
The New York Times, October 28, 2019

Trump Officials Battle Over Plan to Keep Technology Out of Chinese Hands
The administration is split over restrictions on exporting sensitive technologies that are vital to protecting national security
The New York Times, October 23, 2019

Fearing ‘Spy Trains,’ Congress May Ban a Chinese Maker of Subway Cars
America’s next fight with China unfolds at a glistening new factory in Chicago
The New York Times, September 14, 2019

A New Red Scare Is Reshaping Washington
A long defunct Cold War group is finding its views increasingly embraced in Washington, where skepticism and mistrust of China have taken hold.
The New York Times, July 20, 2019

Trump’s Trade War Could Shut Cheesemakers Out of Foreign Markets
With other countries raising tariffs to American products and signing trade deals without the United States, the American cheesemaker is increasingly standing alone.
The New York Times, June 24, 2018

‘It’s Factory North America,’ but Trump Could Hobble It
What the journey of a Union Pacific locomotive reveals about Trump’s plans for the North American economy
The New York Times, March 30, 2018

Trump’s Solar Tariffs Are Clouding the Industry’s Future
At a solar farm in North Carolina, workers are bracing for the effect of a new tariff on imported solar cells and modules.
The New York Times, January 23, 2018

Trump Promised to Protect Steel. Layoffs Are Coming Instead.
Steelworkers thought they would see a new dawn for their industry. But so far, the president’s pledge to do something has done more harm than good.
The New York Times, December 22, 2017

Trump’s Trade Policy Is Lifting Exports. Of Canadian Lobster.
How overseas markets opened to a remote Nova Scotian factory, giving it an edge over competitors in Maine.
The New York Times, November 12, 2017

Trump’s America First Trade Agenda Roiled by Internal Divisions
America’s approach to global trade hangs in the balance as top advisers spar over fulfilling the president’s get-tough promises
The New York Times, October 20, 2017

A Nafta Battleground on the Shores of Canada
A fight over a scuttled quarry project exemplifies a key dispute that has endangered a trade pact between the United States, Canada and Mexico.
The New York Times, October 16, 2017

How Trump trade policy could complicate your ice cream sundae
The products in your pantry have a hidden life. Trump’s trade policy could change that.
The Washington Post, July 18, 2017

Trump’s team is ready for a trade war over steel
Administration officials acknowledged the risk of retaliation, but said real threats were necessary to bring other countries to the negotiating table.
The Washington Post, July 14, 2017

These are the people who suffered when Kansas’s conservative experiment failed
‘A case study in what not to do’: How tax cuts crippled rural Kansas
The Washington Post, June 14, 2017

‘Coal country is a great place to be from.’ But does the future match Trump’s optimism?
The Washington Post, June 6, 2017

This remote factory is where Trump may finally draw the line on trade
It’s the last American factory that makes a metal the military needs — and Trump may go all out to protect it
The Washington Post, May 29, 2017

In Canadian lumber town, real fears over a trade war with Trump
This remote Canadian town woke up to find itself in the center of an escalating trade war between the United States and Canada
The Washington Post, April 27, 2017

The Fed is united, but Trump may be on a different page
While central bankers agree the time has come to raise interest rates, President Trump may see it differently
The Washington Post, March 14, 2017

Why a weird legal dispute about whether the Snuggie is a blanket actually matters a lot
What a court case about the star of TV shopping reveals about the future of trade
The Washington Post, March 6, 2017

The places in America most exposed to a trade war
Export-related jobs are everywhere, which means many of America’s cities have a lot to gain — and a lot to lose.
The Washington Post, February 7, 2017

Trump called the government’s job numbers ‘phony.’ What happens now that he’s in charge of them?
Trump has variously described the real unemployment rate as 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 24, 25, 28, 29, 30, 35 and 42 percent
The Washington Post, January 26, 2017

We’re totally misunderstanding the difference between Mexico and China
One country looks like an economic rival, but the other does not
The Washington Post, December 19, 2016

Shadowy forces are fighting for control of your local movie theater
A lobbyist nicknamed “Dr. Evil” is trying to stop them
The Washington Post, December 5, 2016

Why so many of America’s sushi restaurants are owned by Chinese immigrants
Deep forces explain the rise of Japanese food all over the country — and the surprising group of people behind the trend.
The Washington Post, September 29, 2016

How an obscure nonprofit in Washington protects tax havens for the rich
The Panama Papers reveal how a Washington lobbying group fought for global tax havens
The Washington Post, June 10, 2016

Six maps that will make you rethink the world
New maps for the U.S. – and the world
The Washington Post, April 29, 2016

How the U.S. became one of the world’s biggest tax havens
In some places in the U.S., it’s easier to incorporate a company than it is to get a library card
The Washington Post, April 5, 2016

The Trump Network sought to make people rich, but left behind disappointment
Donald Trump billed The Trump Network as an antidote to the recession. Later, its people stopped getting paid.
The Washington Post, March 23, 2016

The myth and the reality of Donald Trump’s business empire
Trump’s record shows he is a mix of braggadocio, business failures, and real success
The Washington Post, February 29, 2016

What really drives you crazy about waiting in line (it actually isn’t the wait at all)
The weird psychology of waiting in line, explained
The Washington Post, November 27, 2015

These researchers have discovered the perfect password that’s also easy to remember
They even have a certain beauty
The Washington Post, October 22, 2015

The future of fantasy sports hinges on whether winners are skilled — or just lucky
This one question could decide the future of fantasy sports betting.
The Washington Post, October 19, 2015

Why trying to help poor countries might actually hurt them
Nobel-winning economist Angus Deaton argues against giving aid to poor countries
The Washington Post, Oct 13, 2015

What people in 1900 thought the year 2000 would look like
A series of paintings from around the turn of the 20th century provides a fantastic vision of the future
The Washington Post, October 4, 2015

A stunning new look from space at nature, North Korea and Chipotle
Satellite photos reveal surprising insights about the economy
The Washington Post, July 23, 2015

The forgotten origins of Greece’s crisis will make you think twice about who’s to blame
The Greeks walk into a bar
The Washington Post, July 1, 2015

What the aftermath of the Charleston shootings looked like through the eyes of a little girl
How a 4-year-old from the Bronx became part of an iconic photo showing hope and resilience after the shootings
The Washington Post, June 26, 2015

Meet the world’s biggest stock market bubble since the dot-com boom
Five facts about China’s scary stock market bubble
The Washington Post, June 24, 2015

Meet the Web site where start-up dreams go to die
These are the Kickstarter projects that literally nobody would invest in
The Washington Post, June 16, 2015

Why disruption happens a lot less often than CEOs think
America’s biggest corporations have less to fear than they have in decades.
The Washington Post, June 9, 2015

What your name tells us about your age, where you live, your political leanings and your job
There’s more in a name than you might think
The Washington Post, May 26, 2015

The mathematically proven winning strategy for 14 of the most popular games
May the odds be ever in your favor
The Washington Post, May 8, 2015

The entire world fits in New York City
An amazing thought exercise looks at the size and dimensions of humanity
The Washington Post, April 2, 2015

How China used more cement in 3 years than the U.S. did in the entire 20th Century
How the craziest statistic about China turned out to be true
The Washington Post, March 24, 2015

10 stunning images show the beauty hidden in pi
Data art celebrates the magical, mathematical and infinite constant of pi
The Washington Post, March 14, 2015

A data genius computes the ultimate American road trip
Who needs an atlas when you have an algorithm?
The Washington Post, March 10, 2015

How a dog sees a rainbow, and 12 other images that explain how we see color
These fascinating images show how color is in the eye of the beholder.
The Washington Post, March 9, 2015

Kurt Vonnegut graphed the world’s most popular stories
The writer called it “his prettiest contribution to culture”
The Washington Post, February 9, 2015

China’s increase in debt is massive and unsustainable
China’s stability has come at a heavy price
The Washington Post, February 11

China Is Growing At Its Slowest Pace In 24 Years, And That’s A Good Thing
Forbes, January 21, 2015

The U.S. is about an unequal today as the U.K. was during Downton Abbey
The class-ridden society of early 20th Century Britain may be capturing American imaginations for a reason
The Washington Post, January 5, 2015

How tiny, individual biases have huge cumulative effects on racial segregation
Even very small individual biases can result in a large collective effect
The Washington Post, December 9, 2014

America’s oil boom is visible from space
The light from America’s oil fields is more diffuse than a city like Minneapolis or Denver, but just as bright
Know More, The Washington Post, October 20, 2014

Dispatches From the Front Lines of Indian Democracy
A review of Simon Denyer’s “Rogue Elephant”
Foreign Policy, October 8, 2014

China’s Growing Grey Market for All That’s Foreign
Forget about those pesky regulations; business is booming for practitioners of ‘haitao’
Foreign Policy, August 20, 2014

Would You Rather Be Rich in a Poor Country Or Poor in a Rich Country?
Which is the better lot in life?
Forbes, August 13, 2014

11 things to know about world’s biggest election
India’s general election, the largest democratic exercise in history, begins Monday
CNN, April 7, 2014

监管新规对阿里巴巴IPO意味着什么?
一系列监管措施是否将压低原本期望极高的IPO估值？
Forbes Chinese, March 26, 2014

Expect Alibaba’s US IPO to be Hot
Ana Swanson, Analyst at JL Warren Capital, estimates Alibaba’s U.S. IPO to be valued at around $180 billion
CNBC, March 25, 2014

Election Q&A: Inside India’s Race to the Polls
India experts discuss the 2014 elections, the largest democratic exercise in human history
Foreign Policy, January 7, 2014

It’s All Politics: The Forgotten Dimension of China’s Economic Reforms
China’s economic reforms set the stage for a creeping political liberalization
Forbes, November 26, 2013

China’s Chilling Crackdown on Due Diligence Companies
The arrest of Peter Humphrey reveals a Chinese government that fears public exposures of corruption
The Atlantic, October 23, 2013

A hundred flowers bloom

A clash at an outspoken Chinese paper offers a glimpse into a media system straining at censorship restrictions
China Economic Review, February 2013

Four more years

With relations growing tenser, are the U.S. and China on a collision course in Asia?
China Economic Review, January 2013

The naked truth

“Behind the Red Door” explores the unfamiliar and often contradictory landscape of China’s sexual revolution
China Economic Review, January 2013

Uneven ground

China’s yawning income gap poses an unprecedented threat to new leadership
China Economic Review, December 2012

Tough on China

Obama and Romney are pledging to crack down on China’s purported crimes. Will that really benefit the US?
China Economic Review, November 2012

Chinese whispers

Novelist Yu Hua’s history of 10 words in China is a revealing and deeply personal portrait of a complex country
China Economic Review, November 2012

Confidence game

Growing pessimism in China could spark a dangerous flight of capital
China Economic Review, October 2012

Awash in cash

How the resurge of state-owned enterprises threatens China’s economy
China Economic Review, August 2012

Flood of numbers

China’s growth figures deserve a healthy dash of skepticism
China Economic Review, August 2012

Off-kilter

The euro zone crisis hints at the unsustainable nature of China’s trade policy
China Economic Review, July 2012

Architect of fortunes

A new memoir from one of the designers of Obama’s China policy
China Economic Review, July 2012

Infant industry

Why Chinese car brands are struggling to compete
China Economy Review, June 2012

Parting the waters

China’s coming water crisis poses perhaps the greatest threat to the country’s growth and stability
China Economic Review, April 2012

Research & duplication

China’s biotech industry still lags behind when it comes to innovation. But that suits the country just fine
China Economic Review, January 2012