Notes on a New Asian Century

Christine Loh is speaking now...

Here are my notes, assembled on the fly:

The right to development is non-negotiable. China is growing fast and it has the right to grow. Yes, it is a quarter of the world, but is only a quarter of the world. A great deal of the population is in poverty and those people want and deserve a higher, more modern standard of living.

In America, we're moving from things to meaning because we already have things. Some people don't yet have things. Development is non-negotiable, but it isn't only material and can't be only about moving things around. So how do we engage in sustainable development and what does it mean? Many Chinese villages with no electricity. 90% of China has electricity (but it may not yet be affordable.) Distributed energy (solar and wind) is a must.

Water is also a primary concern. And the glaciers that supply water to all of IndoChina are at risk.

Freedom of political speech and enforcement of existing laws are still challenges.

US and China relations. We're the biggest emitters on the planet. The US is well-positioned--we're much further along on the development curve. China needs to do lots of basic things in the poorer regions of the country.

We need to redefine development, quality of life, and prosperity.

Ok, I'm done with note taking--I'm just going to listen.