This year’s report focuses on reform, updates indicators developed in the three preceding reports and covers 20 additional countries. The report presents quantitative indicators on business regulations and their enforcement compared across 175 economies—from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe—and over time. Top reformers are identified and best practices in how to reform are highlighted.

Published annually, Doing Business reports investigate global regulations that enhance business activity and those that constrain it, ranking countries on their “ease of doing business.” Co-sponsored by the World Bank and the International Finance Corporation (IFC) - the private sector arm of the World Bank Group - the Doing Business reports give policymakers the ability to measure regulatory performance in comparison to other countries, learn from global best practices, and prioritize reforms. The indicators are used to analyze economic and social outcomes, such as informality, corruption, unemployment, and poverty.

Benjamin A. Olken, a Harvard University researcher examines the accuracy of beliefs about corruption, using data from Indonesian villages. Check out his paper.

If you are seeking international job opportunities, you might consider attending the Australia Institute for International Affairs' International Career Conference. In its third year, the conference provide students and young people with an excellent insight and perspective on international careers.

Speakers are from the Department of Foreign Affairs & Trade, NGO's, International Law and business. (Speakers are now being confirmed, but organisers are now taking registrations.)

WHEN: Saturday 23rd September 2006
TIME: 9:30am to 7pm
WHERE: The Glover Cottages, 124 Kent Street, Millers Point (The Rocks) Sydney
ENTRY: AIIA Members $30 Non Members $40
CONTACT: The Australian Institute of International Affairs 02 9247 2709 aiiarsvp@bigpond.com
WEB/REGISTRATION FORM

On 22 August, Dr Nicholas Lardy will address a RIAP Round Table on the topic: The China Balance Sheet. The round-table meeting is now over-subscribed. We however plan to record the session and post is as a 'podcast' in the following week. Meanwhile, a summary and overview of a chapter of the book is available for download.

Japan and Australia are both active and committed members of the Asia Pacific region, yet the full extent of regional contributions made by each country is not very well known. To examine their regional contribution, the Japan Australia Forum 2006 will host an event on Monday 11 September at 6.00pm. The Event will feature Mr Alan March, Assistant Director Public Affairs, AusAID and Dr Tetsu Nakamura, Physician, Director of Peshawar-Kai, a non-government organisation. For further details visit: JAF 2006

The Institute for International Economics have recently published US - China Trade Disputes: Rising Tide, Rising Stakes by Gary Clyde Hufbauer, Yee Wong and Ketki Sheth. The chapters are available to download online. Following is an abstract of the book:

Since its accession to the WTO, China has become the United States’ third-largest trading partner and the sixth-largest market for US exports. Between 2000 and 2005, US imports from China rose from $100 billion to $243 billion, while US exports to China climbed from $16 billion to $42 billion. As China continues its rise as a great power, The United States Congress and the administration wrestle with one another over the proper tactics and strategies to shape US-China economic relations. What major disputes now, and looming on the horizon, will shape future US-China relations; and what can be done to solve, or at the very least to manage, them? This important new book examines these issues and offers suggestions for both sides.

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Associated Press

How do you save a struggling domestic cartoon industry? Ban foreign cartoons from prime time TV is one way.

China recently introduced new regulations to ban foreign cartoons during the 'golden hours' viewing, between 5pm and 8pm. According to news reports, the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television notified TV stations about the new regulation but did not make it public.

According to Shanghai Daily, Cartoon programs co-produced by domestic and foreign companies will need approval from SARFT to be shown during the target hours.