Word: blocs
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...Asia matters for America. China is the third biggest consumer of American goods, after Canada and Mexico. The No. 4 spot belongs to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the 10-nation bloc that was founded, with American prodding, as a bulwark against communism in the 1960s. China's economic resilience (8.7% GDP growth in 2009) helped the U.S. and other developed nations avoid even worse pain from the global financial crisis. The only other major economies that posted decent growth in an otherwise dismal year? India and Indonesia. Asia, in other words, thinks it is shoring...
...Further south, China has surpassed the U.S. as ASEAN's third largest partner in commerce after the E.U. and Japan. The Southeast Asian club has signed trade pacts with Japan, India, South Korea and, most importantly, China, paving the way for a regional economic bloc that could rival the E.U. Note that the U.S. isn't involved. "If we are closer to China now, it is only because the U.S. has neglected us," says Kavi Chongkittavorn, a Thai columnist who writes about foreign affairs. Wirjawan, the head of the Indonesian investment board, jokes that, "If I want to get Americans...
Istvan Nagy, Wasselonne, France You are perfectly right criticizing the lack of European ambition to become a global player. The reason: Europe is not a bloc, and every country is jealously observing its own interests...
...behalf. Little wonder then that many Europeans remain uninterested in these new positions, and that senior politicians in European countries have not put themselves forward for appointment. Foreign policy run by the E.U.? No thank you. If you are looking for the E.U. to act as a major political bloc at the international negotiating table, I think that you will have a long wait...
...from certain that Allawi will get al-Maliki's job. State of Law and other blocs have already indicated they will contest the results and demand recounts. Even if the results announced today hold up to scrutiny, there's a chance al-Maliki will be able to pull together a coalition to form the new government and retain the Prime Ministership. Meanwhile, the main Shi'ite bloc, the National Iraqi Alliance, won 70 seats; the main Kurdish alliance got 43. A simple majority of 163 seats is needed to govern. (See a 2004 interview with then Prime Minister Allawi...