Economic Change, 1990-present

Politics of CCP Economic Policy Since 1992

Communist Party authoritarian rule

*Deng Xiaoping fades from scene, d. 1997

“Second generation paramount leader”

“Technocrat” Secretary-Generals of CCP

*Zhao Ziyang, 1987-1989, d. Jan. 2005

*Jiang Zemin, 1989-2003

Chairman of Central Military Affairs Commission, 1993-2005

“Third generation paramount leader”

Hu Jintao, 2003-present

Chairman of Central Military Affairs Commission, 2005

“Fourth generation paramount leader”

Economic Restructuring, 1992-2010

"Technocrat” Premiers who were Zhao Ziyang's protégés

*Zhu Rongji, 1998-2003

Zhu Rongji and foreign friend

*Wen Jiabao, 2003-2013

Wen Jiabao and foreign friend

Foreign investment in coastal cities

New export-oriented industries, such as clothing and toys

Generate trade surplus

“Asianization”

Taiwanese and S. Korean investors

Foxconn manufactures to Apple, HP, etc. specifications

Market Reforms

Imported goods

Foreign exchange

State-owned enterprises (SOE)

Privatization through stock sales

Opportunities for CCP corruption

Bankruptcy

More jobs lost than gained

Remaining key SOEs “Break the iron rice bowl”

China-U.S. Relations

Transformation from strategic to economic partnership, 2000-2016

3rd leading trade partner of U.S. (14% of trade in 2012)

Return to pre-Opium War world currency flows

PRC & Japan have been 2 largest foreign state holders of U.S. treasury notes since 2000

31% of combined of total in Sept. 2021

34% combined of total in Feb. 2019

Transformation to “Rivals”?, 2017-????

Economic Success and Challenges

Total Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in Trillions of U.S. Dollars, Data Source: World Bank

 

GDP Growth Rates Per Decade (%), 1960-2019 (calculated based on World Bank Data)

China's Exports

1980 $24 billion

1997 $207 billion

2001 $262 billion

2004 $583 billion

2008 $1.435 trillion (3rd in world ranking)

2012 $1.435 trillion (2nd in world after E.U.)

2014 $2.252 trillion (1st in world )

2020 $2.732 trillion (1st in world, U.S. is 2nd)

China's export recipients:

2004: US 21.1%, Hong Kong 17%, Japan 12.4%, South Korea 4.7%, Germany 4%

2008: US 17.7%, Hong Kong 13.3%, Japan 8.1%, South Korea 5.2%, Germany 4.1%

2013: Hong Kong 17.4%, US 16.7%, Japan 6.8%, South Korea 4.1%

2019: U.S. 17%, Hong Kong 10%, Japan 6% (2019)

America's import sources:

2001: Canada 19%, Mexico 11.5%, Japan 11.1%, China 9%

2004: Canada 17%, China 13.8%, Mexico 10.3%, Japan 8.7%

2008: China 16.5%, Canada 15.7%, Mexico 10.1%, Japan 6.6%, Germany 4.6%

2013: China 19.6%, Canada 14.6%, Mexico 12.3%, Japan 6.1%, Germany 5%

2019: China 18%, Mexico 15%, Canada 13%, Japan 6%, Germany 5%

Per Capita Gross Domestic Product (GDP)

Why has per capita GDP improved but remained relatively low?

  China   U.S.  
  GDP per capita World Rank GDP per capita World Rank
1998 $750 149th $29,340 10th
2008 $6000 133rd $47,500 10th
2014 $11,300 113th $54,800 19th
2020 $16,400 102nd $60,200 17th

Total Population 1.3 Billion

Labor force structure

Quarter of population still in farming

Structure of the Chinese economy

Contribution of economic sector to Total GDP

How have the contributions of different sectors of the economy to GDP changed over the past 3 decades?

Sector/Year 1980 2004 2008 2014 2017
Agriculture 30% 14% 11.3% 9.7% 7.9%
Services 21% 33% 40.1% 46.4% 51.6%
Industry 49% 53% 48.6% 43.9% 40.5%

Labor Force Structure:

Why is there a mismatch between China’s economic and labor structures based on a comparison with the table above?

Sector/Year 2001 2006 2014 2017
Agriculture 49% 43% 33.6% 28%
Services 29% 32% 36.1% 44%
Industry 22% 25% 30.3% 29%

0.25 acres agricultural land/capita in 1982

2.1 acres in U.S.

240-290 million rural migrants annually since 2010!!

Zhao Ziyang, Prisoner of the State, pp. 155-58, 247-81

1. What debates about political reform occurred within the CCP since the late 1970s?

2. According to Zhao, “during the transition period from old to new economic systems, without, checks, corruption was bound to grow.” (p. 265, 4th full para, 1st sentence). What does he mean by this? What checks does he have in mind? (also see pp. 155-58)

3. Do you think China is ready for democracy?

Not Covered in 2021:

One-child Policy

Total fertility rate

1.82 Children born/woman (China)
2.98 Children born/woman (India)
2.07 Children born/woman (US)

Sex ratio under 15 years old

1.1 male(s)/female (China)
1.05 male(s)/female (India)
1.05 male(s)/female (US)