News

China’s New Silk Road to International Development Cooperation

March 25, 2016

"What is development as practiced by China?" asked Jing Gu, director of the Centre for Rising Powers and Global Development and convener of the Rising Powers in International Development Programme at the Institute of Development Studies. She went on to note that China is having a tremendous global impact, especially on low-income developing countries in Africa and Latin America.

Looking at Civil Society Development in China from a Rights Defense Perspective

March 25, 2016

"What I'm interested in is the activity that takes place outside of the state and the market," explained Yiyi Lu. She went on to note that although there were significant constraints on group-based activities in China, individuals enjoyed more autonomy. "Some activists recognize that they have more flexibility as individuals, and choose to continue to operate in this way instead of setting up organizations," she said.

Interactive Map Connects Past, Current, and Future Residents of Aleppo

March 24, 2016

The Aleppo Project has launched a new tool to encourage current and former residents "to help us preserve the past of Aleppo, document its present and start thinking about the future of a great city." The map, which was designed by the Center for Spatial Research at Columbia University, promises to be an invaluable resource. It is also another way for the people of Aleppo to connect with each other.

Will the Chinese Communist Party Collapse Soon?

March 24, 2016

As Hongyi Lai noted, the breakup of the party state in China had been predicted on several occasions since the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989. And yet, the Chinese Community Party (CCP) remains strong. Lai noted that the party state is the key to national unity and a driver of economic reform in China. For this and other reasons, Lai predicted, "China will probably remain authoritarian for years to come. It is not likely that the party state will collapse any time soon."

China’s Growth: The Making of an Economic Superpower?

March 24, 2016

China is not one yet, explained economist, broadcaster, and author Linda Yueh, but it has the makings of an economic superpower.