Stephen Harner discusses Mr. Kiyoyuki Seguchi’s recent article, which criticizes the “mistaken pessimism” of China’s economy by foreigners. Harner stresses that there is little thoughtful analysis on China, much reporting relying on sensationalism, and conscious negative bias to appeal readers in the U.S. and Europe.

There is no guarantee the U.S. remains in the dominant position on the world stage. In fact according to The International Monetary Fund, as reported by The Daily Mail -- we no longer are, at least economically.

China’s Central Bank is assessing changes in its international monetary policy in the following areas: RMB internationalization, becoming less dependent on U.S. Federal Reserve monetary adjustments, and containing the arbitrage of foreign speculative investment. With a major focus on the dispossession “outstanding funds for foreign investment,” the RMB is expected to experience moderate depreciation or fluctuation.

Chinese companies and banks are building and funding many infrastructure projects across Latin America. Analysts have said some of these projects are being built for geopolitical reasons, but the main reason is to secure supplies of natural resources for the burgeoning Chinese economy.

The end of the U.S. Federal Reserve’s Quantitative Easing (QE) monetary policy will affect U.S. growth predictions over the next two years, and may weaken the U.S. dollar. However, as Xiao Lian contends, this might not have an obvious impact on China, yet could result in new development opportunities – as well as new risks.

While many of China’s largest brands – Haier, Huawei and Xiaomi – have not yet become household names, Joel Backaler describes how China’s domestic market is changing and the companies that are focusing on developing their brand internationally.

The initiatives and enormous investments turned the APEC meeting in Beijing from a “talk shop” to one of action. Han Liqun stresses that all APEC member economies should be fully confident in building an open and liberal economic and trade environment in the Asia-Pacific.

China is the leading advocate for progress in the form of a “feasibility study” on an inclusive new regional trade agreement, the FTAAP. Concerned that this will detract from U.S. regional interests, the FTAAP ironically has provided impetus for the completion of the U.S.-led TPP proposal.

He Weiwen dislodges the notion that the FTAAP is inherently in opposition to the TPP by discussing APEC plans to phase out regional free trade agreements in favor of creating a singular FTAAP; this more inclusive agreement which would serve as the “greatest common denominator” for standards and investment treaties in the Asian Pacific.

China’s “One Belt, One Road” strategy is Xi’s new scheme to effectively interconnect the trade routes between China and the rest of the world. The United States need not consider it a hegemonic challenge, but rather work to collaborate in the region’s common development.