SolidarityEconomy.net

by Jerry Harris, SolidarityEconomy.net

. US bars students and loses scientists

Tighter visa laws have keep thousands of potential foreign students from enrolling in US universities and make it difficult for US companies to hire and meet with foreign employees. Some estimates put the loss to the US economy at $30B. On the flip side cuts in government funding of scientific research is forcing many young scientist to leave the US, most going to the UK, Australia and Singapore. Says Xandra Breakefield from Harvard Medical School, “The situation is incredibly bleak, I find myself telling talented junior researchers that if they want to continue scientific research they have to go to another country.”

. Chinese technology advances

China is now making bullet trains having digested Japanese technology for domestic production.  Going back to the Maoist period China has always been determined to internalize foreign technology. Manufacturing trains in a joint venture with Canada’s Bombardier, Chinese sources say they “have grasped the core technology for trains that operate at speeds over 200kmh and have autonomous intellectual property rights for such trains.”

. India’s R&D part of transnational accumulation

India is known for its advanced technology sector much of which is now tied to transnational corporations. Yahoo’s largest research and development center outside California is its Bangalore office with 1,000 computer engineers – about 10 percent of Yahoo’s global labor force. Nokia and the French telecom group Alcatel have set-up R&D centers, from the auto industry Suzuki is investing heavily and Merck pharmaceuticals is in a joint venture with India’s Advinus Therapeutics. Cisco has a five year plan to invest $1.1B on R&D work in India expecting to triple its current workforce of 2,000. All told there are 220 transnationals and 130 local companies doing advanced R&D. Investments grew from $1.3 in 2001 to $6.5B by 2005.

. Transnational capitalists invest in Iran

Ignoring US demands for an economic boycott of Iran both Shell and Repsol of Spain have signed contracts with Iran to develop blocs of the giant south Pars gas field. The oil companies would be involved in a plant that produces liquefied natural gas to be sold in Europe and Asia. Each would own 25% while the National Iranian Oil Company would hold 50%.