He voted against missile defence, normalising trade with China, welfare reform, education reform and his own party's changes to the estate tax.

ECONOMIST: A death that impoverishes the Senate

If these imbalances are to be unwound in an orderly way, China will have to build a social welfare system that reduces huge levels of precautionary saving and thus boost domestic demand.

WSJ: We Need Greater Global Governance

China has enjoyed some success in expanding the welfare system.

WSJ: Aging Chinese Face a Bleak Picture

With the world's eyes on China as the Beijing Olympics looms, the country is touting its concern about animal welfare as a mark of a civilised society.

ECONOMIST: The Chinese learn to love animals in a whole new way