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FOCUS May 2015

Category - Official Text

  1. AIT領航者看美台關係三年來的發展 (全文英文)
    Three Years at the Helm of AIT: Reflections on the U.S.-Taiwan Relationship.

    OT-1506, April 22, 2015, 6 pages.
    “Thirty-six years after the enactment of the Taiwan Relations Act, we enjoy a robust relationship.  It is a relationship that encompasses trade, security, environment, science, technology, health and energy cooperation, education and cultural exchanges, and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief.  I think the most visible symbol of our relationship is the new AIT facility we are constructing in the Neihu district of Taipei.  When completed, it will have state-of-the-art technology and a host of energy saving and green technologies.” (From AIT)
  2. 美國在台協會處長馬啟思 2015台北市美國商會謝年飯致詞稿。
    Remarks by AIT Director Christopher J. Marut at the 2015 American Chamber of Commerce in Taipei Hsieh Nien Fan.
    OT-1505, April 9, 2015, 3 pages.
    “Taiwan has a golden opportunity to institutionalize and implement clear and transparent regulations that foreign investors are seeking, and that would bring Taiwan practice into line with other developed economies.  Such a step would offer compelling proof that in the face of intensifying economic competition in Asia and the world, Taiwan is moving forward with confidence and unleashing its substantial resources and capabilities.” (From AIT)
 

 

 
  1. Blackwill, Robert D. and others.
    Revising U.S. Grand Strategy Toward China.

    Council on Foreign Relations, April 2015, 70 pages. “Because the American effort to 'integrate' China into the liberal international order has now generated new threats to U.S. primacy in Asia—and could result in a consequential challenge to American power globally—Washington needs a new grand strategy toward China that centers on balancing the rise of Chinese power rather than continuing to assist its ascendancy.” (From Council on Foreign Relations)
  2.  Blinken, Antony J.
    State's Blinken on A Vision for Central Asia.

    U.S. Department of State, March 31, 2015, 16 pages.
    “Our security is tied to a stable Central Asia, and at the same time we see a region of enormous potential, a region that could act as an economic bridge from Istanbul to Shanghai and provide opportunities for our own businesses, technologies, and innovations to take root; a region that could offer goods and energy to the booming economies of South and East Asia; and a region that could serve as a stabilizing force for Afghanistan’s transition and an indispensable partner in the fight against narco-trafficking, terrorism, and extremism.” (From U.S. Department of State)
  3. Carter, Ash.
    Defense Secretary on Next Phase of U.S. Rebalance to Asia-Pacific.
    U.S. Department of State, April 06, 2015, 8 pages.
    “America’s policy of building stability and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific has succeeded over the years because it’s been a strong, bipartisan priority through both Democratic and Republican administrations. The rebalance is working because it’s rooted in the lessons of history, our enduring interests, widespread support in our country, and, especially, our strengths.” (From U.S. Department of State)

Category - Economics

  1. Ehrman, Michael and others.
    Consumers' Attitudes and Their Inflation Expectations
    .
    The Federal Reserve System, March 10, 2015, 31 pages.
    “This paper studies consumers’ inflation expectations using micro-level data from the Surveys of Consumers conducted by University of Michigan. It shows that beyond the well-established socio-economic factors such as income, age or gender, other characteristics such as the households financial situation and their purchasing attitudes are important determinants of their forecast accuracy.” (From the Federal Reserve System)
  1. Lachman, Desmond.
    The Dollar's Rise is a Threat Domestically and Globally.

    American Enterprise Institute, March 23, 2015, 2 pages. 
    “Not only is that appreciation likely to hurt the U.S. economy, but it also poses a major risk to the economic outlook for the emerging markets, which in recent years have been the main source of dynamism in the global economy.”(From American Enterprise Institute)
  1. Yellen, Janet L.
    Normalizing Monetary Policy: Prospects and Perspectives.

    The Federal Reserve System, March 27, 2015, 11 pages.
    “I will address three questions. First, why does the Committee judge that an increase in the federal funds rate target is likely to become appropriate later this year? Second, how are economic and financial considerations likely to shape the course of monetary policy over the next several years? And, finally, are there special risks and other considerations that policymakers should take into account in the current environment?” (From the Federal Reserve System)
 

Category - Politics 

  1. Loveless, Tom.
    2015 Brown Center Report on American Education: How Well Are American Students Learning?
     
    The Brookings Institution, March 24, 2015, 40 pages.
    “The studies in this edition are on the gender gap in reading, the impact of the Common Core State Standards -- English Language Arts on reading achievement, and student engagement.”(The Brookings Institution)
  1. Smith, Aaron.
    U.S. Smartphone Use in 2015.

    Pew Research Center, April 1, 2015, 8 pages.
    “Smartphones help users navigate the world around them, from turn-by-turn driving directions to assistance with public transit. This is especially true for younger users.” (From Pew Research Center)

Category - Global Issues

  1. Facts on U.S. Report of Its 2025 Emissions Target.
    FACT SHEET: U.S. Reports its 2025 Emissions Target to the UNFCCC.
    IIP Digital, March 31, 2015, 2 pages.
    “State Department Submits President Obama’s Ambitious 2025 Target to Cut U.S. Climate Pollution by 26-28 Percent from 2005 Levels.” (From IIP Digital )
  1. Mead, Walter Russel.
    A More Powerful United States.

    The Hoover Institution, Thursday, March 26, 2015, 2 pages.
    “The revolution in U.S. energy production is one of the big stories of our time, and it has consequences for the future of America’s primary geostrategic project of generating, leading, and defending a liberal capitalist world order. Not every result of American energy production will be positive, but the net effect will be to support America’s ability to play a leading role in world affairs.” (From the Hoover Institution)
  1. Nolan, Andrew.
    “Cybersecurity and Information Sharing: Legal Challenges and Solutions.”

    (CRS Report for Congress)
    Washington, D.C.: Congressional Research Service, March 16, 2015, 62 pages.
    “This report examines the various legal issues that arise with respect to the sharing of cybersecurity intelligence, with a special focus on two distinct concepts: (1) sharing of cyber information within the government’s possession and (2) sharing of cyber-information within the possession of the private sector.” (From CRS Report)
  1. Pinner, Dickon and Matt Rogers.
    “Solar Power Comes of Age: How harnessing the Sun Got Cheap and Practical.”
     

    Foreign Affairs, March/April 2015, 8 pages.
    “Solar power has been declared a winner before, only to flounder. It’s easy to remain skeptical today, given that solar power accounts for less than one percent of the global energy supply. But it is also expanding faster than any other power source, with an average growth rate of 50 percent a year for the past six years. Annual installations of photovoltaic panels increased from a capacity of less than 0.3 gigawatts in 2000 to 45 gigawatts in 2014—enough to power more than 7.4 million American homes.” (From Foreign Affairs)


Category - Innovation

 
  1. Bleiberg, Joshua and Hillary Schaub.
    10 New Innovations That Could Change the World.

    The Brookings Institution, April 8, 2015, 3 pages.“The editors selected each item based on its potential to change the world.   Previous years lists included agricultural drones, ultra-private smart phones, brain  mapping, neuromorphic chips, genome editing, mobile collaboration, and micro 3-D printing. The 2015 list is just as exciting.” (From the Brookings Institution)
  2.  Semuels, Alana.
    “How You'll Buy Things in the Future."
    The Atlantic, April 2015, 2 pages.
    “Drawn from interviews with futurists, economists, executives, and entrepreneurs, are other predictions about the future of money.” (From The Atlantic)

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