China’s impressive economic achievements over the past two decadeshave made its development experiences quite distinct from those ofmany other economies. Its robust economic growth has dramaticallyreduced poverty, making it the most important driving force towardsachieving the United Nations Millennium Development Goal ofhalving world poverty by 2015.
The speed of China’s progression from a low-income and populouscountry to a global economic force has taken many analysts bysurprise. Academics and policy-makers in the developed anddeveloping world have therefore been examining the “Chinaphenomenon” and its impact on regional and world economies. Theyhave analysed key issues such as the factors and determinants ofChina’s catching-up strategy, how the Chinese model differs fromprevious development models, and the extent to which otherdeveloping countries might emulate the Chinese economic model andthe impact of China’s economic growth on regional and worldeconomies.
In China itself, policy-makers are asking themselves how thecountry’s rapid economic growth can be sustained; how welfarebenefits for the Chinese population can be enhanced; how to close theconsiderable remaining gap between China and the world’s leadingeconomies within the shortest possible time; and how to redresssocioeconomic inequality within the country. China is fully awarethat it faces a number of development challenges: external pressureon currency revaluation is mounting; financial reform is far fromcomplete; existing bottlenecks risk slowing down rapid growth;income inequality is proving difficult to redress; and a social safetynet has yet to be established.
This book comprises a selection of presentations made at seminarsjointly organized by UNCTAD and MOFCOM, with the participationof the Asian Development Bank Institute. Work on the project isongoing and UNCTAD looks forward to further fruitful outcomes ofthis close collaboration.
| China Syndrome |
| Key Issues in China´s Economic Transformation |
| The Wuhan Seminar: National Development Strategies in a Globalizing World |
