Thomas P.M. Barnett :: Weblog

ARTICLE: Markets Gyrate, Detroit Declines, by Harold Maass

Excerpt:

Protecting Brand China

China has "its brand name on the line," so expect it to beef up product safety, says Andrew C. Schneider in Kiplinger.com. China knows that "concerns about its faulty exports" threaten "its status as a leading supplier of food and other goods" to the U.S. and other countries. "Corruption, pollution, and product piracy problems are deeply entrenched" in China, but there are strong incentives for China to crack down, and even "reach out to Uncle Sam for help." There might even be a "silver lining" in China's recent quality problems. If China moves quickly, like it did with the SARS epidemic, they "could lead to legal reforms, including long-sought intellectual property protections."

A very straightforward presentation--from a business brand-protecting basis--of the dynamic I described in my "scandals" column a while back.

Thanks to John Weitzer for sending this.