COMMENT An inquest into the demise of the bid by CNOOC for US oil company Unocal would reject the verdict that it died of natural causes. This was a blatant case of foul play. The bid was killed off by political opposition, culminating in last week's reprehensible decision by Congress to pass legislation dragging out the regulatory approval process.
This sorry tale should trouble anyone who believes in the importance of free and open markets. It also exposed the disturbing mood of anti-China hysteria now gripping Washington.
