The global reach of China's boom
TRY hailing a taxi or ordering a meal in a restaurant in Perth these days and you may be in for a long wait. The capital of Western Australia (WA) is suffering a labour shortage, as young people head north to make real money from a mining boom. China's insatiable demand for WA's minerals is driving it, and helping China displace Japan as Australia's biggest trading partner. But Australia has also to balance its mining windfalls against clashes with China over human rights.
The Pilbara, a desert region about 1,300km (800 miles) north of Perth, is the main focus. BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto, two of the world's biggest resource companies, ...