China set to overtake Japan as World's second largest economy

movilogo

China will overtake USA in a decade or so. India is also not too far behind.

Good thing about those countries that there are no benefits system. If people don't work, they don't get food and they die.

What happens here in contrast? Those who work hard need to feed those who don't work. Thus makes attractive to those who work to stop work and go on benefits. Which in turn pushes even harder those who work.

Also, both India & China still have death sentence. Here we provide Xbox and PS3 to those criminals.

Mr_Mumble

Afghanistan has a larger economy than Monaco!

carolt

Malcolm. wrote: »

If I come back as a coven member, I'll receive thanks from mrs carolt (who seems to thank almost all women). At present, even when I agree with her, she takes umbrage.

Oops, I appear to be off topic again.

I don't take umbrage when you agree with me. It's rare, I have to say..but I don't object.

If I don't leap to thank you that may have something to do with the number of childish personal attacks on me you've thanked recently.

Gender doesn't come into it - I thank plenty of men and far from all women.

I thank content rather than poster.

Obviously it goes without saying that women post better content...

Linton

movilogo wrote: »

China will overtake USA in a decade or so. India is also not too far behind.

Good thing about those countries that there are no benefits system. If people don't work, they don't get food and they die.

What happens here in contrast? Those who work hard need to feed those who don't work. Thus makes attractive to those who work to stop work and go on benefits. Which in turn pushes even harder those who work.

Also, both India & China still have death sentence. Here we provide Xbox and PS3 to those criminals.

Both China and India are still poor countries per head of population. As they get richer welfare for the less well off and less capable will become of higher priority and more affordable to them. Look at history of this country.

Similary with the treatment of criminals. Until well into the 19th century Britain had the death penalty for what we would consider the most trivial of crimes.

Jonbvn

carolt wrote: »

Obviously it goes without saying that women post better content...

See!

This is mumsnet!:p

julieq

Judging by the amount the Chinese screw out of you for Breakfast at the Shanghai Hilton, I'd be guessing their time is nigh sooner rather than later 20 quid for a bowl of cereal and a bun

Mind you, the floor 39 Schezuan style restaurant is very reasonably priced, and a lovely view out.

Jonbvn

julieq wrote: »

Judging by the amount the Chinese screw out of you for Breakfast at the Shanghai Hilton, I'd be guessing their time is nigh sooner rather than later 20 quid for a bowl of cereal and a bun

That's just to keep Paris in shoes and champagne dear.:p

bendix

ruggedtoast wrote: »

China's boom is only one side of the story, and has to a large extent been built on de facto slavery. They have a vast workforce of low wage workers from the countryside who have been supporting skilled industries in the cities because they have no choice other than to go there. Either because its that or starvation, or because theyve been forcibly moved by their repulsive government.

QUOTE]


On the contrary. There is no evidence of workers being forcibly moved to work in factories in cities by the repulsive government.

Quite the opposite, in fact. There are more rural workers who want to work in factories than the government allows. The Chinese authorities have a form of internal passport which rural workers must apply for before they are allowed to relocate. If the move to the cities without them, they lose the rights to their land back home. These passports are restricted and rationed.

This has created a situation you find today, in which there are severe labour shortages in those cities (usually on the western seaboard) and that has resulted in wages rising exponentially. The factories simply can't get the labour they need.

This has had a number of impacts in the last year or so:

Wages have risen, something the authorities are encouraging because a more affluent workforce will stimulate domestic demand, thus turning China into the world's marketplace, NOT the world's factory. It is in China's interests to encourage domestic consumption rather than rely on exports for growth alone.

Factories - particularly those owned by overseas companies - are increasingly moving inland, closer to the cheaper labour supplies, helping to overcome the internal passport issue.

Both developments are to be welcomed.

julieq

Also the internet is wide open. I'm using it right now. It's actually the fastest hotel internet I've ever used, been able to Skype home for hours on end at high quality, and this is a 40 storey hotel with thousands of guests using the Expo.

Don't believe everything you read about China. It's hardly the wellspring of liberal democracy and human rights, but it's a place where the talented can make something of themselves, it's a country which had a vibrant and sophisticated culture when we were in the Dark Ages, and for sheer inventiveness and ingenuity you'll do well to beat the Chinese. Their graduates are better than our graduates too, in spades.

And no, I'm not saying that because I'm worried the Chinese government might cut off my internet connec