The complexity of China is far beyond most people in the West can understand. Even CIA has really underestimate the potential of China.
1. The backbone of China industrial growth is based on initial "special economic zones" near Hong Kong where the capital comes from. The Chinese leadership is very determined to develop Shanghai, Beijing and Hong Kong as three major cities. Then the Chinese develops industrial and high tech areas surrounding the cities.
2. With 900 million rural area workers (called migrant workers) coming into cities to perform less than US $1.00 a day work and foreign capital coming through, the growth of China is averaging 8-9% per year. (China's population is a plus and an asset. 900 millions are migrant workers who provide cheap labors, and then you have 400 millions middle-class. Please remember China has the same number of highly educated people 400 millions (more than US, equal to EU. So the 400 millions will be managers, doctors, nurses, businessmen, etc, and 900 millions will be workers)
3. The influx of American capital and investment brings along with technology. Today both mainland Chinese and Taiwan control No. 3, 4 computers in the world. China bought IBM personal computers. But the influx of capital and technology is not just from United States but E.U., Japan and S. Korea.
4. Unlike United States, "Hans" is the only ethnic group in China and comprises over 95% of the entire population. The rest of 5% of minority lives in the north-west, west and south-west China. Despite there are many different dialects , China is able to teach everyone to speak "one language". (There is no ethnically diverse region. China will send another 10 million Hans Chinese to Tibet !)
5. However, there are large influx of westerners in last 10 years in China teaching, working and actually helping the Chinese to advance in technology. Look at their official website
http://www.cctv.com, click English, then you will be amazed of the Chinese able to speak fluent English.
6. The Chinese population is actually slows down despite one family one child policy is abolished. India will overrise China in population by 2020-2025.
7. In order to have strict control of the society with 1.4 billion people (4 1/2 times of US) China has no choice but "law and order" to enforce strict rules on its people.
8. The number of women is not a major issue. The number of divorce in China is rising so high and is catching up to the divorce rate in US. Many women have different husbands and able to bear children with different fathers.
9. It will take another 25 years for China to catch up. This has nothing to do with United States. Let's look how China deal with fossil fuel issues. China signed multi-years contracts with many oil-producing countries in Central Asia, Russia, Canada, South America and Africa and get the resouces and keep the country going.
10. Last but not the least, China has never invaded another country in the last 6,000 years. Mongols are not chinese. And I believe China wants peace and harmony and prosperity for its people.
