Inside the Modern Dragon
China's Roaring Economy
China & International Trade
Background: China began opening its economy to market reforms as pragmatists led by Deng Xiaoping took leadership positions in the government following Mao Zedong’s death in 1976. China joined the World Trade Organization in 2001.
Export growth: China’s export volume has grown tremendously in the past decade. Even in a four-year period mid-decade, the growth was astronomical: It sold $438 billion worth of merchandise goods overseas in 2003. By 2007, it exported $1.2 trillion worth of merchandise goods. It’s noteworthy tht imports of merchandise also rose over the same period, from $394 billion in 2003 to $905 billion in 2007. But overall, China’s trade balance grew along with its increase in exports. (EIU Country Report 2009)
China and the WTO: Since 2004, China has been a respondent to 22 WTO dispute settlement cases brought against it, and it has brought eight cases to the WTO in response to safeguard and anti-dumping measures in the European Union and the United States against Chinese imports. Compared to other large economies, China’s has been a moderate participant in the WTO dispute settlement system. (The EU has been a respondent 70 times and 85 as a complainant 85 times; the United States has been a respondent 113 times and a complainant 97 times; and Japan has been a respondent 15 times and a complainant 14 times.)
About this Project
This is a web-based journalism project about modern China—a country undergoing massive industrialization and technological change. This project began as an intellectual inquiry and a journey to China. [Read more...]
