CHINA, AS AN ECONOMIC THREAT

Those in college during the '80s no doubt remember classmates scrambling to learn Japanese in preparation for the Rising Sun's impending takeover. Well, a funny thing happened on the way to global domination: Japan's economy imploded, and students went back to studying Spanish in preparation for spring break in Cancun. Today, Taipei has replaced Tokyo as the new Asian bogeyman. The Chinese are industrious! They're efficient! They're out for blood! They also have a rapidly aging population, off-the-charts air pollution, and an OTB-style stock market that's grown 200 percent in just 18 months—a bubble waiting to burst. Better short the lead-painted toy futures market while you still can.

<< PREVIOUS PAGE | NEXT: AMERICA FERRERA >>