Transcript Understanding Modern China

Understanding Contemporary China
 Professor WANG Guo-An (Andrew)
 Vice Director, International Affairs Office
 Zhejiang Gongshang University
No.149, Jiao Gong Rd. Hangzhou
310035 China
Mobile:136-0051-6079 86-571-28877313 (office)
Fax: 86-571-28877312 88846798 28008050
E-mail: [email protected]
 Alternative e-mail: [email protected]
 www.zjgsu.edu.cn/english/eindex.php
http://econet.zjgsu.edu.cn/andrew.wang/index2.htm
Some facts about China
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Over 5000 history ( 4 great inventions: compass, printing, explosives and
paper-making )
No. 3 trading power
The third largest in area
To hold the Olympic Games in 2008
The largest foreign exchange reserves
Close economic ties with ASEAN, FTA in 2010
One of five members in the UN Security Council
The largest population, accounting for more than one fifth of the world
population
The most rapidly growing economy, annual growth rate of 9.3% since 1978
The biggest trading partner for most of the Asian countries and the major
trading partner for most of the economic powers in the world
The largest FDI recipient among developing countries for the last 15 years
The active member in Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO)
Launched a spaceship in 2003 and 2005
Map of China
1. Location
 China is situated in eastern Asia on the western
shore of the Pacific Ocean, with an area of 9.6
million square kilometers. China's continental
coastline extends for about 18,000 kilometers,
and its vast sea surface is studded with more
than 5,000 islands, of which Taiwan and Hainan
are the largest.
2. Land Formation and Rivers
 China's land drops off in escarpments eastward
to the ocean, letting in humid air current and
leading many rivers eastward. Among the rivers
totaling 220,000 kilometers in length in China,
the Changjiang (Yangtze) and the Huanghe
(Yellow) are world known.
 China has beautiful scenery, with mountains
and ranges, highlands, plains, basins, and hills.
The highlands and hill regions account for 65
percent of the country's total land mass, and
there are more than 2,000 lakes. The highest
mountain peak is Qomolangma (Everest), the
highest in the world, 8,844.43 ( released on
Oct.9,2005, formerly 8848) meters above sea
level; the lowest point is the Turpan Basin, 154
meters below sea level.
3. Climate
 China is characterized by a continental climate. The
latitude spans nearly 50 degrees. The greater part of the
Chinese territory is situated in the Temperate Zone, its
southern part in the tropical and subtropical zones, and
its northern part near the Frigid Zone. Temperatures
differ therefore rather strikingly across the country. The
northern part of Heilongjiang Province has long winters
but no summers; while the Hainan Island has long
summers but no winters.
 The Huaihe River valley is marked by distinctive
seasonal changes, but it is spring all year round
in the south of the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau. In
the northwest hinterland, the temperature
changes dramatically. China is high tundra zone
is situated in the Qinghai-Tibet, where the
temperature is low in all four seasons. Some
desert areas are dry all year round.
4. Population
 China, as the word's most populous country,
has a population exceeding 1.3 billion, which
makes up 22 percent of the world total. It is
concentrated in the east and south of China. To
bring population growth under control, the
country has followed a family planning policy
since the 1970s. We have adopted the one-child
policy since late 1970s.
5. Ethnic Groups (Chinese Minorities)
 China is a multiracial country with 56 ethnic
groups,,The Han people account for 92 percent
of the population. No matter how big or small
the population is, all peoples share equal rights.
6. Religion
 China is a multi-religious country. Taoism,
Buddhism, Islamism, Protestantism and
Catholicism have all developed quite a lot in
this country. Freedom of belief is a
government policy, and normal religious
activities are protected by the constitution.
7. Administrative Units
 China is divided into 35 administrative regions.
They are 23 provinces, five autonomous
regions, four municipalities under the direct
jurisdiction of the Central Government, two
special administrative regions and Taiwan. The
four municipalities are Beijing, Shanghai, Tianjin,
and Chongqing; Hong Kong and Macao are the
special administrative regions. Taiwan is to be
reunited with the mainland of China.
8. Capital
 Beijing is the capital of the People's Republic of
China. A center for politics, economy and
culture, Beijing has been developed into a
world-class metropolis in which the modern
world is blended harmoniously with the glory of
an imperial past.
9. Tourist Attractions
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Beijing
Shanghai
Guangzhou
Xi’an
Hangzhou
Suzhou
Guilin
Yellow Mountain
Zhangjiajie in Hunan......
10. History
 More than 5000 years.
 China’s ancient scientific
contributions to the world: four
great inventions, namely,
compass, printing, explosives
and paper making.
11．Culture
 The Chinese culture is the dominating
culture in East Asia and Confucianism has
had great influence in East Asia and
southeast Asian countries.
12. Language
 Chinese language: official
Spoken: Mandarin/putonghua, Cantonese and other
many dialects
Written: Chinese characters are over 3000 years old,
Simplified, traditional)
 Foreign languages: English, Japanese and Russian
Education
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Preschool
Elementary school
Junior high school (compulsory)
Senior high school
University (bachelor, master, Ph.D.)
13. Opening policies and Reform
( 1978-now)
 Chinese students who studied abroad during 1978-2005 reached
933400,but only 232900 (25%) returned to China.
 International students studying in China: over 160,000 in 2006
 Foreign direct investment in China: the biggest recipient of FDI
among the developing countries for the last 15 years.
 Foreign-invested enterprises: 508,941
 Over 400 of 500 biggest transnational corporations invested in
China and about 30 of them have established or moved their headquarters to China.
 Contracted FDI: US$1096.608billion
 Actually utilized FDI: US$562.101billion
 86% of FDI is in the east and southeast regions
 9.3% annual economic growth during the last 28 years
 No. 3 trading power in the world, its trade volume amounted to
US$1422.12 billion in 2005 and maintained the trade surplus value
reaching as much as US$177.5 billion
 China WTO entry on December 11, 2001
 Olympic Games to be held in Beijing in 2008
 Manned spaceship in 2003 and 2005
 Foreign exchange reserves amounted to US$875.1 by March 2006,
No. 1 in the world
 Women’s increase in their social status
13. The Trade Relations with its major trading partners
In 2005 China exported its products mainly to
USA
EU
Hong Kong
Japan
ASEAN
South Korea
Taiwan
Russia
Canada
Australia
In 2005 China imported products mainly from
Japan
South Korea
ASEAN
Taiwan
EU
USA
Australia
Russia
Saudi Arab
Hong Kong
14. The Trade Relations and Trade Frictions
between China and the USA
 Since 1997, 12.5% growth every year
 More than one quarter of the Chinese exports are sold to the USA.
 China’s trade surplus value with the USA amounted to more than
US$140 billion : 60% of made-in-China products are made by US
companies in China. Profits belong to the USA while the trade
surplus value is in China.
 Antidumping measures against Chinese products
 The exchange rate between the Chinese currency RMB Yuan and
the US dollar
15. China’s problems
 (1) The increasing contrast between the rich
and the poor, the sharpening economic
differences between the east and the west
 (2) The worsening environment
 (3) The official corruption
 (4) The large population
16. Your questions are welcome
Thanks for your attention!