Saturday, February 14, 2009

Excerpts...

...from the Annual Threat Assessment prepared for the Senate Select Commitee on Intelligence.

The full report:

http://www.dni.gov/testimonies/20090212_testimony.pdf

I am primarily concerned with scenarios involving Africa:

"China’s presence has grown substantially over the past decade. Total bilateral trade between China and the continent has increased from less than $4 billion in 1995 to $100 billion in 2008, but the EU and US still remain far larger economic partners for the region. China’s objectives are to secure access to African markets and natural resources, isolate Taiwan, and enhance its international stature, all of which it has made progress on. Nevertheless, China’s role has generated local resentment as Chinese firms are seen as undercutting African competitors in securing commercial contracts and falling short of standard local labor practices. Moreover, there is little discernible evidence of Chinese investments being used to incorporate Africa into the industrial “global value production chains” that are becoming the hallmark of integrative trade and FDI flows, especially in manufacturing in other regions of the world."

We should see the U.S. move quickly on this...

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