All investments in China by multinationals have been seen as good investment, but that has been more about perception than profits

The Middle East's recent turbulence has made forecasting the course of events there even more treacherous than usual. But, as became increasingly clear in 2013, the source of the region's crises is not a “clash of civilizations,” but a clash within Islam, centered on the Sunni-Shia divide.

Since his election in June, Iran’s new president, Hassan Rouhani, has signaled a more moderate stance in his country’s international relations. But the world’s second-largest oil producer remains a danger not just to Saudi Arabia but also to peace and stability in the Middle East and beyond.

When Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe visited Tokyo’s controversial Yasukuni Shrine last month, Chinese leaders, predictably, condemned his decision to honor those behind “the war of aggression against China.” But Abe was also sending a message to Japan’s main ally and defender, the US.

Despite China's swelling foreign-exchange reserves – the result of persistent current-account surpluses – market and interbank short-term interest rates are soaring. How did this happen, and what should policymakers do about it?

This year marks the centennial of the outbreak of WWI – a devastating war, rooted partly in inadequately robust global-governance systems. Today, efforts to quantify the tradeoff between efficiency and robustness should play a larger role in addressing key issues, including financial reform and climate-change policy.

The late English chanteuse Amy Winehouse sang, “They tried to make me go to rehab, but I said ‘No, no, no.’” Perhaps 2013 should be known as the year of Winehouse economics, with the singers being the world’s most important central banks, led by the Federal Reserve.

Moderation and common sense, says Iran's new president, will guide all policies of his government, which is committed to balancing realism and the pursuit of the Islamic Republic’s ideals. That means concluding a mutually acceptable agreement on Iran's nuclear program, as well as seeking a broader rapprochement.

The biggest innovation in energy so far this century has been the development of shale gas and the closely associated resource known as “tight oil.” Indeed, the emergence of shale gas and tight oil in the US demonstrates, once again, how innovation can change the balance of global economic and political power.

Li Tingwei, president for Broadcom Greater China, announced the company's development strategy for the Chinese market as it aims to achieve growth via 3G/4G smartphone chips, base stations, and big data. Li said Broadcom hopes to become the best semiconductor solutions provider in the Chinese market, making this marketplace its largest market outside America. The […]