Economy, Featured

Why China’s Shrinking Population Is a Big Deal

Throughout much of recorded human history, China has boasted the largest population in the world — and until recently, by some margin. So news that the Chinese population is now in decline, and will sometime later this year be surpassed by that of India, is big news even if long predicted. As a scholar of ...

Troy Oakes

China's aging, shrinking population.

Bring on the Year of the Rabbit: Why There’s New Hope and Prosperity Tipped for Australia-China Relations

For the first time in a long time, a year can begin with a realistic assessment that Australia-China relations are on an upward trajectory again. After winning last May’s federal election, the new Albanese government set “stabilization” as the objective for Canberra’s relations with Beijing. Rather than reaching for something loftier, “stabilization” made sense given ...

Troy Oakes

China's ambassador to Australia Xiao Qian.

Why Biden’s Forgiveness of Student Loans Doesn’t Go Far Enough

According to a world-leading student loan expert, the Biden administration’s recent decision to forgive student debt may help students now but won’t fix the long-term crisis. Professor Bruce Chapman from The Australian National University (ANU) said the only way to make the system fairer and sustainable is to put loans where students don’t repay debt ...

Troy Oakes

Rolled-up money.

There Are Better Ways to Grow Economies Than Going to War

Many people believe that the answer to economic woes is to go to war. However, is this the case? Wars cost money, and they don’t always result in more robust economies. Instead, many times, they result in weaker economies. “A haircut through war will not solve the world’s economic problems,” said economic analyst David P. ...

Lijf Santelices

Devastation of war.

From Five-Year Plans to Now Plans

Not so long ago, it was quite common to find people, especially those completing their education or stepping into professional life, who were talking about five-year plans. However, things have changed a lot in the last few years. That is why people today are focusing more on “now plans.” It seems that planning for the ...

Jack Roberts

The hands of two people are seen holding ink pens over notepads on a table covered with a drawing of a scale with the words "life" on one side and "work, career, business" on the other with pencils and colorful paperclips scattered across and a mug of black coffee sitting nearby.

The Slow Meltdown of China Evergrande Group

China Evergrande Group is experiencing a slow-motion meltdown that could have serious negative consequences for the Chinese economy. Despite the many warning signs, Western analysts are optimistic that Xi Jinping is up to the task of managing the crisis. However, such optimism may be misplaced given the scale of the mounting problem and the Communist ...

David Clapp

China Evergrande Centre.

Buy ‘Made in America’ This Black Friday With Amazing Website Cultivate

Cultivate is a new website where you can find “Made in America” products. With COVID, international trade has been hit drastically. Businesses have come to a standstill in the U.S. and in almost all other countries of the world due to this pandemic situation. And sadly but truly, the fact of America’s dependence on outsourced ...

Jack Roberts

View of a sales ad on a tablet device that offers 50 percent off for purchases made on Black Friday.