Maybe the world IS flat

I mentioned an article by Thomas Friedman a week ago that argued that Americans need to be aware that, in his opinion, the world is being reshaped–Globalism 3.0–by technology so much that it’s not just a small world anymore, it’s a flat world. People, economies, and labor supplies aren’t "on the other side of the world," they’re right next door.

Well, over the weekend high officials in India and Chaina were busy drawiing up agreements to work together to accelerate the growth of their economies and their influence in the world. The Washington Post said:

India and China, the world’s two most populous countries,
agreed on Monday to create a "strategic partnership" in an effort to
end their longstanding border dispute and boost trade and economic cooperation.

"India and China can together reshape the
world order," Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said after a welcome
ceremony for his Chinese counterpart, Premier Wen Jiabao, at India’s
presidential palace.

Wired had a different quote:

On a visit to India’s southern
technology hub of Bangalore, Premier Wen Jiabao said the two nations should put
aside their historic rivalries for the venture and welcome a new "Asian
century."

"Cooperation is just like two pagodas,
one hardware and one software," Wen said. "Combined, we can take the
leadership position in the world. When the particular day comes, it will
signify the coming of the Asian century of the IT industry," he said in an
address to information technology professionals in Bangalore.