Chpts 28, 30, & NYT article

In chapter 28 of The Globalization Reader, readers learn about the power of nation-states and why the author, Susan Strange, is arguing against it. She describes nation-states as a dominant source that is weakening globalization at its core. Global institutions have now begun to take over the role that was once controlled by the state's government. It made me realize that the government isn't always the one with the most power. Nation-states have begun to weaken other countries and institutions globally. 

Chapter 30 provides readers with a question: has the rapid expansion of international markets given us more harm than good? The author addresses the question by bringing up social and political tensions between other countries (such as the US and Europe). I didn't know governments felt pressured to bring labor costs down to stay in the global economy. It never occurred to me that there are limits to governments' competitiveness. The author argues that if this is pushed too far, it could undermine the true benefits of globalization. 

The NYT article presented me with what the border between China and Kazakhstan looks like. It's a very remote area alongside the Eurasian Pole of Inaccessibility. The EPI has been a major benefit for the BRI. I was shocked that this place was characterized as "the middle of nowhere" when there are over 1,000 concentration camps and centered as a big foundation project. Khorgos, a small town in Kazakhstan, has now become a major shipping hub connecting China to European countries and beyond the Atlantic Ocean. The BRI movement focuses on connecting Chinese factories with other countries in Europe, Asia, and Africa. This could be done through trains, ports, and highways. Later on, I read about China's Xinjiang, an area that's controlled by the government and has targeted minorities. In the pictures provided, the small town didn't look like much of a harm or threat. I also learned that Kazakhstan, at the time of the article's publication, was experiencing economic struggles in its relationship with China.