Hu Jintao’s calm face softened as he spoke poignantly of his greatest challenge since becoming President of China seven months ago. “I felt as if my heart was on fire.” He was talking of the Sars epidemic, which claimed hundreds of lives as the new Chinese leadership fought to bring “this scourge” under control. The virus originated in southern China. …

The Clark Government needs to get down to some serious strategy work after the collapse of the Cancun talks. New Zealand is at a critical point. There are strong suggestions that the key World Trade Organisation players will now change tack and build cosy clubs of their own. Their membership conditions – if New Zealand is invited to join – …

Nearly two weeks after the Cancun debacle the full extent of this latest crisis in global governance is starting to sink in. It is too early to say with confidence that the historic new G21 coalition of developing countries that Brazil has stitched together will become a permanent force in World Trade Organisation politics, ending the effective duopoly of the …