This blogger writes: if an American business wants to operate in China, it is currently much easier to find a Chinese person who speaks English than the other way around. So, who is the company going to hire?

As trade, foreign investment and technology have spread, the gap between economic haves and have-nots has frequently widened, not only in wealthy countries like the U.S. but in poorer ones like Mexico, Argentina, India and China as well. Many economists now say that the biggest winners by far are those with the education and skills to take advantage of new opportunities, leaving many lagging far behind. Incomes of low-skilled workers may rise, but incomes of skilled workers rise a lot faster.

It also seems natural to conclude that new language skills and an understanding of global trade are becoming more the imperative to stay ahead of the low-wage curve.