China and India: The Great Debate Lesson!

Geography Area: 9,572,900 sq km = 3rd-largest country in the world Development shaped (formé) by its geography (e. g., deserts, mountains and fertile river basins) Most of China's recent economic development > in the eastern coastal (côtier) provinces > rural interior has been left largely underdeveloped (sous-développé)

Population - Population: 1.3bn people > 1/5 of the world's population. But strict rules and changing lifestyles (mode de vie) have led to lower growth rates. - Most urban couples > "One Child" policy. Rural families > allowed a second child if their first-born (premier né) is a girl. Boys are preferred > potential future gender imbalance. - Great exodus from rural interior > cities in the east. - In 1950, the urban population represented less than 13% of the total - it is now about 40% and is expected to reach 60% by 2030.

Ethnic Issues - The Han Chinese make up over 92% of the population of China, There are 55 other official ethnic groups. - Most of the minority groups live in Sparsely populated border areas. Beijing faces two separatist conflicts in the western region – the Tibetans in Tibet and the Uighur in Xinjiang. Tensions between other minority groups and the majority Han have mostly been hidden they have always been sensitive.

Economy Since the communist regime decided to open up to foreign investment in 1978 > China has become one of the world's fastest growing economies and is among its 10 largest. But, with growth rates over 10%, some experts warn the Chinese economy may be overheating (devenir surchauffé) and if this happens the rest of the world could suffer. In recent years, China has also become a trading (échanges commerciaux) giant - it is the world's fifth largest exporter of merchandise after the US, Germany, Japan, and France. The economic boom (en plain essor) has, however, created new social and environmental problems.

                                                                                                                                                                                           

Poverty According to China > number of rural poor has fallen from 85 million people in 1990 > to 29 million people (But, the way China measures poverty is disputed and the World Bank says it is much higher) Emergence of a new class of dispossessed (les déshérités de la sociéte) - the urban poor. Why? > partly because of massive redundancies (licenciements) at state-run companies and migration to the cities Economic boom has also led to a widening wealth gap (décalage), most acute between coastal and interior regions. > The richest 20% of the population account for 50% of consumption, while the poorest 20% do not even reach 5%.

                                                                                                                                                                                           

Environment China's growth - with its increasing energy demands - has had a dramatic impact on the environment. The World Bank says 16 of the world's 20 most polluted cities are in China, which is also blamed for some of the air pollution in Japan and Korea. China is the world's second biggest individual emitter of energy-related CO2 - but as a developing nation, it is not required by the Kyoto Protocol to reduce its emissions. Water concerns are also growing. Rivers in the north are drying up, a situation blamed in part on the overuse of river water and the preponderance of dams. Urbanisation, on the other hand, has exacerbated flooding in certain areas by reducing drainage.

                                                                                                                                                                                           

Social Change - Chinese society has undergone a transformation in recent years. - More and more people are moving to the cities, giving up their traditional lifestyles. - In many cities > lots of skyscrapers, lots of smart new shopping centres > lots of mobile phones & computers > 90 million internet users (four times more than in 2000) - But the modernisation of China also highlights a country of marked contrasts > millions left on the margins of the new prosperity.

                                                                                                                                                                                           

India Area: more than 3.1m sq km – one of the world's biggest countries. India is South Asia's largest country It is also one of the most diverse. Apart from Hindi and English > 16 official languages. Major religions include Hinduism, Islam, Christianity, Sikhism, Buddhism and Jainism. Ruled by the British from the early 19th Century until 1947. It won its independence at the same time as partition and the creation of Pakistan. The two countries have since fought three wars - two of which were over the territory of Kashmir. Now in a process of rapid economic development > but has complex and enduring internal problems (e.g., the caste system). Challenges: massive overpopulation, poverty, environmental problems, corruption.

The Economy India has become a world economic power > growth over the past three years averaging 8% (similar to China) > in terms of purchasing power parity > India now the world's fourth largest economy India opened up to the outside world in the late 1980s > has become increasingly attractive to foreign investors. Why? low costs & huge, English-speaking, workforce (popular with multinationals - manufacturing and call centres Success of hi-tech industries > large numbers of overseas Indians returning > "brain gain“ > they are part of growing middle class (potentially very big domestic market!) Critics > benefits of this growth have not reached the poor quickly enough > millions still in abject poverty. Income per head is just US$720 (£365) a year. Bureaucratic red tape and infrastructure problems are continuing issues.

Population India > expected to overtake China to become the world's most populous country within the next 25 years Its population has grown from 357 million in 1950, to 1.1 billion today. By 2030 it is expected to be home to 1.6 billion people, compared with China's 1.4 billion Why? High birth rate & increasing life expectancy In 2000 > a minority of the population was over 60 > but by 2050 there will be lots of retired people > this raises questions about how they will be supported > less than 10% have pensions More than 65% of people live in rural areas, but migration to the cities is accelerating

Living Standards Despite its burgeoning economy, the gap between rich and poor in India is vast 35% of people > live on less than US$1 a day. Poverty is at its worst in rural areas > often accompanied illiteracy & poor health Almost half of children suffer from malnourishment Despite such problems > overall poverty decline - a shift which has been accompanied by more general improvements to living standards Life expectancy rose from 59 to 63 between 1990 and 2004. Adult literacy rose from 50% to 61% over the same period. It is suggested that continued economic growth will drive up living standards for the population as a whole

WEALTH DISTRIBUTION IN INDIA Top 1%: 16% of wealth Top 5%: 38% of wealth Top 10%: 53% of wealth Bottom 80%: 30% of wealth Bottom 50%: 8% of wealth Bottom 20%: 1% of wealth Bottom 10% 0.2% of wealth Source: University of Western Ontario, 2006

What will be the impact of China and India’s growth? What does India and China’s growth mean for them? China is set to become the world’s biggest economy by 2026 according to a poll conducted on behalf of the BBC. And India is poised (positionné) to take over 4th place behind the US and Japan. India’s infrastructure and scarcity of resources were seen as putting it at a disadvantage to China. - What will the future hold for China and India? - Is China becoming too powerful? - Or do you welcome its growth? - What impact will China and India’s economic growth have on the world stage? - How can both countries close the gap between the haves and the have nots?

Information adapted from the BBC website