Discussing Schwarzenegger in China...

UCLA political scientist Richard Baum told the BBC that the absence of posturing during Pres. George Bush's visit to Beijing represented a step forward. Baum said, "I saw new evidence that the two sides were really trying to create a foundation for a constructive working relationship while acknowledging real and serious differences." He went on, "Maybe we've turned a corner. Maybe it's a small corner, maybe it's a little turn, but it's better than going in the other direction."

Sebastian Edwards, Henry Ford II Professor in the UCLA Anderson Graduate School of Management professor, was among those quoted by the Los Angeles Times on Gov. Schwarzenegger's visit to China. "Having the highest elected official at the state level trying to pressure the government of China and Chinese officials to make sure copyrights are respected and enforced is very, very important," he said (see Los Angeles Times, Nov. 16, 2006).

Prof. Edwards was among those speaking at the 3rd Wilbur Woo Conference on the Greater Chinese Economy last February. At that time he suggested the Chinese economy would likely grow 5.5 to 6% per year over the next twenty years, narrowing the gap between China and the richest countries. He highlighted several challenges for continued economic growth.

Of course, UCLA Communications Studies professor Tom Plate's Pacific Perspectives is published twice a week. You can read it at AsiaMedia and in several daily newspapers published in the U.S. and Asia.