By Michele Travierso Gliding, by almost any definition, is not a popular sport. However, it could serve as good proxy to illustrate a larger point: that China's rise is affecting even the most unsuspecting...

Michele Travierso (left), originally from Milan and now based in Shanghai, became a friend when my wife and I were living in Shanghai in 2006 and 2007. He juggles a variety of identities and passions...