China's Forest Sector Markets: Policy Issues and Recommendations
SUMMARY Based on the papers contributed to this Special Issue and other studies an effort is made to identify the major policy issues facing the Chinese forest sector. The policy analysis is organized around the so-called ‘supply china’ (from stump to final products' markets). The discussion of policy issues and implications centers on the identified large and growing gap in the demand/supply balance of forest products. A major problem to carry out the policy analysis is the identified lack of consistent and transparent data for the different components of the ‘supply chain’. This is a situation which must be substantially improved in order to undertake relevant policy setting for the Chinese forest sector.
China's Development of a Plantation-Based Wood Pulp Industry: Government Policies, Financial Incentives, and Investment Trends1
SUMMARY The Chinese government is aggressively promoting development of a domestic wood pulp industry, integrated with a plantation-based fiber supply and downstream paper production. It is doing so by providing discounted loans from state banks, fiscal incentives, and capital subsidies for establishment of at least 5.8 million hectares of fast-growing pulpwood plantations. This article examines the development of bleached hardwood kraft pulp (BHKP) mills in South China, including the Asia Pulp & Paper (APP) Jinhai mill in Hainan Province and the proposed Fuxing pulp mill project in Guangdong Province. Both mills face fiber shortfalls over the medium term, and significant new investments in plantation development will be needed to provide a sustainable fiber supply at the mills? projected capacity levels. However, there are few sites in southern coastal China where fiber can be grown at internationally competitive costs. In most instances, the cost of Chinese plantation pulpwood will be considerably higher than in countries like Indonesia and Brazil, raising important questions about the economic competitiveness of Chinese pulp producers even within their home market.
Randi Weingarten, the American Federation of Teachers, and the Challenges of Policy Leadership in a Hostile Environment
Randi Weingarten is the president of the most vocal and influential teachers’ union, the American Federation of Teachers. Since rising through the ranks to AFT president in just two years, Weingarten is now a major, if not the most prominent, nongovernmental player in national education policy. She has earned deep respect from many educational policy actors. Likewise, Weingarten elicits withering criticism from others. This fascinating profile explains why, in such a brief period, she has proved to be a fierce, fearless, and effective leader under extraordinarily difficult circumstances. Her experience offers invaluable lessons applicable for others working in similarly intense policy arenas.