Current Events & Trends: Is China the solution to Western economic Woes?
In the text of a graphic titled "Stepping Up to Buy," The Wall Street Journal noted: "Chinese state-owned and private enterprises are pouring investment money into the U.S., into industries such as auto parts, real estate, and oil and gas.
The number of deals, and their overall value, has climbed steadily in recent years" (accompanies "In the Heart of the Rust Belt, Chinese Funds Provide the Grease," Feb. 11, 2012). Fairly recently, in Saginaw, Michigan, the Chinese rescued from ruin a substantial automotive company—that city's largest employer.
But America is far from the only target. The teaser for an article in Time magazine by Vivienne Walt titled "Feasting on Europe" stated, "As the euro-zone crisis deepens, China is angling for the union's most prized firms" (Dec. 19, 2011). The article explained that while China may currently be a small player in Europe, that is quickly changing.
Yet historians, journalists and academics remain somewhat skeptical about the viability of Chinese assistance long-term. Harvard professor and historian Niall Ferguson is only one. His London Sunday Times feature article of March 11 was titled "Get Ready to Be a Slave in China's World Order." The drophead starkly stated, "We think Chinese money is the answer to our problems, but the reason the country [China] is prospering is hard work—very hard work—and it will expect it from us too."
A review by Oxford economics professor Paul Collier of the 2012 book Why Nations Fail, by two U.S. academics, offered this advice in its title: "Don't Look to China for Economic Salvation" (The Observer, March 10). (Sources: The Observer, The Sunday Times [London], Time, The Wall Street Journal.)
An Article from:
Good News Magazine: May - June 2012
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Jerold Aust
Jerold Aust has served in the ministry for 52 years, as a public speaker for 58 years, a published writer for 38 years, and is employed by UCG’s Media and Communications Services. He is a Senior Writer, interviewer, and editor for Beyond Today Magazine and has taught Speech Communication for UCG’s ministerial online program and the Book of Revelation for ABC.
Jerold holds a BA in theology from Ambassador College, Pasadena (1968), an MA in Communication from California State University, Fullerton (1995), a distance-learning Ph.D (2006), and a Famous Writers School diploma in non-fiction writing (1973). Additionally, he studied post-grad communication at University of Southern California (1995), radio, TV, voice-overs, and Public Relations at Fullerton College (1995-1996), and graduate communication at Wichita State University (1978). Jerold has taught communication at the University of South Alabama (7 years) and ABC (17 years). His published works include, Ronald Reagan’s Rhetoric: Metaphor as Persuasion and EZSpeakers: Public Speaking Made Easy in 7 Steps. Jerold's overarching goal is to share with humankind its incredible destiny!
John Ross Schroeder
John died on March 8, 2014, in Oxford, England, four days after suffering cardiac arrest while returning home from a press event in London. John was 77 and still going strong.
Some of John's work for The Good News appeared under his byline, but much didn't. He wrote more than a thousand articles over the years, but also wrote the Questions and Answers section of the magazine, compiled our Letters From Our Readers, and wrote many of the items in the Current Events and Trends section. He also contributed greatly to a number of our study guides and Bible Study Course lessons. His writing has touched the lives of literally millions of people over the years.
John traveled widely over the years as an accredited journalist, especially in Europe. His knowledge of European and Middle East history added a great deal to his articles on history and Bible prophecy.
In his later years he also pastored congregations in Northern Ireland and East Sussex, and that experience added another dimension to his writing. He and his wife Jan were an effective team in our British Isles office near their home.
John was a humble servant who dedicated his life to sharing the gospel—the good news—of Jesus Christ and the Kingdom of God to all the world, and his work was known to readers in nearly every country of the world.
