Global Studies
Name _____________________________________
Modern China
1. China has made tremendous gains in the past 30 years. Since Deng Xiaoping opened
China’s economy to foreign investment and made capitalist reforms, China’s economy is
booming. China has become a center of manufacturing and is the largest exporter in the
world.
2. China has averaged annual growth rates of more than 10% over the past 30 years. (The US
has averaged 2.7%.) Today, China has the world’s second largest economy as measured by
GDP, after the US.
3. Living standards have dramatically improved and people have a high degree of economic
freedom. Today, over a million Chinese are millionaires (9 million in US) and 95 are
billionaires (425 in US).
4. However, many Chinese remain poor and the gap between rich and poor is growing. In
terms of GDP per capita, China ranks 86th (US is 11th), near Iraq and Turkmenistan. Incomes
are much higher in major cities have been designated as Special Economic Zones than in rural
areas.
5. A major byproduct of this economic growth is pollution, particularly from coal-power
electricity plants. Air pollution is the 4th leading cause of death in China and is expected to be
the leading cause of death in urban areas worldwide by 2050.
6. The official economic policy is a socialist market economy with Chinese characteristics.
State-owned enterprises represent 30% of China’s economy, so China is in essence 30%
socialist and 70% capitalist. The Communist Party maintains strong control over the economy,
which allows the government to react quickly to domestic and international economic crisis.
7. China’s government is controlled by the Communist Party, which in turn is controlled by the
Politburo Standing Committee, a group of 4 to 9 people, usually all older men, who make all
major decisions.
8. China’s top leader is Xi Jinping who is the General Secretary of the Communist Party and
President of the People's Republic of China. He is the son of a prominent Communist leader.
He assumed the presidency in March of 2013. He has pledged to fight corruption (the families
of many government officials have become enormously wealthy), continue market economic
reforms, create a more open government, and promote the "Chinese Dream," a spirit of
entrepreneurship like the “American Dream.”
9. China is often described as a totalitarian state. People have few political freedoms. People
can only vote in local elections and the legal system offers few opportunities for ordinary
Chinese to seek justice. Freedom of speech is limited. The media is tightly controlled and
access to information is limited. Internet access to news and political information is restricted.
For example, an internet search of Tiananmen Square will not yield results about the 1989
demonstrations.
10. China is routinely criticized for human rights violations. Activists who speak out in favor of
democratic reforms, religious freedom, or for the rights of Tibetans are routinely jailed. For
example, prominent artist and activist Ai Weiwei, who designed the National Stadium or “Bird’s
Nest,” was jailed for two months in 2011 without any charges being filed.
11. Though the US and the international community are critical of China for human rights
violations, they don’t press the issue too strongly because China is integral to the world
economy and has become a major world power.
12. China holds a permanent seat and veto power on the United Nations Security Council. It
has been increasing its military spending and commissioned its first aircraft carrier in 2012.
China has increased economic and political ties in the developing world, especially in
resource-rich African nations.
13. The diplomatic efforts of the United States focus most on ensuring free and fair trade with
China. China has consistently undervalued its currency, which makes China’s exports cheap
and has helped fueled China’s growth. China also has not done enough to protect copyrights,
patents and trademarks. Chinese companies routinely produce counterfeit and imitation
products. The US is also concerned about computer hacking against the US government and
US companies conducted by China’s military. China holds about 8% of US debt, which gives it
a degree of leverage over the United States.
Global Studies
Name _____________________________________
Modern China
1. China has made tremendous _________ in the past 30 years. Since Deng Xiaoping
opened China’s economy to ________________________________ and made
____________________________, China’s economy is ________________. China has
become a center of _____________________ and is the largest __________________ in the
world.
2. China has averaged annual growth rates of more than ________ over the past 30 years.
(The US has averaged ________.) Today, China has the world’s _______________________
economy as measured by ________, after the __________.
3. ________________________have dramatically improved and people have a high degree of
_________________________. Today, over a _________________ Chinese are millionaires
(_________________ in US) and _______ are billionaires (_______ in US).
4. However, many Chinese remain ___________ and the gap between rich and poor is
_________________. In terms of __________________, China ranks ______ (US is
______), near __________ and ___________________. Incomes are much higher in major
cities have been designated as __________________________________ than in _________
areas.
5. A major byproduct of this economic growth is ________________, particularly from
__________________ electricity plants. Air pollution is the _________leading cause of death
in China and is expected to be the _______________ cause of death in urban areas worldwide
by _________.
6. The official economic policy is a __________________________________ with Chinese
characteristics. ________________________________________ represent 30% of China’s
economy, so China is in essence 30% ________________ and 70% ________________.
The ____________________________ maintains strong control over the economy, which
allows the government to _______________________ to domestic and international economic
crisis.
7. China’s government is controlled by the _______________________, which in turn is
controlled by the _______________________________________, a group of ____________
people, usually all _____________________, who make all major decisions.
8. China’s top leader is ______________________ who is the _________________________
of the Communist Party and ___________________ of the People's Republic of China. He is
the son of a ___________________________________. He assumed the presidency in
_____________________. He has pledged to fight __________________ (the families of
many _______________________________ have become enormously _______________),
continue ___________________________________ create a more
______________________________ and promote the "_______________________," a spirit
of _________________________ like the “American Dream.”
9. China is often described as a ________________________________. People have
_____________________________________. People can only vote in
________________________ and the legal system offers ____________________________
for ordinary Chinese to seek justice. Freedom of _____________ is limited. The
_____________is tightly controlled and access to ________________________ is limited.
Internet access to ______________ and _________________ information is restricted. For
example, an internet search of _______________________________ will not yield results
about the __________________________.
10. China is routinely criticized for _________________________________. _____________
who speak out in favor of ___________________________, __________________________,
or for the rights of __________________ are routinely ________________. For example,
prominent artist and activist _______________________, who designed the National Stadium
or “____________________,” was jailed for two months in 2011 ________________________
being filed.
11. Though the US and the international community are _______________ of China for human
rights violations, they don’t press the issue too strongly because China is
_________________________________ and has become a __________________________.
12. China holds a permanent seat and ___________________ on the United Nations
______________________. It has been increasing its ________________ spending and
commissioned its first _______________________ in 2012. China has increased
___________________________________ in the developing world, especially in resourcerich ________________ nations.
13. The diplomatic efforts of the United States focus most on ensuring
_____________________________ with China. China has consistently _________________
its currency, which makes China’s exports __________ and has helped fueled China’s growth.
China also has not done enough to protect ________________________________________.
Chinese companies routinely produce ____________________________________ products.
The US is also concerned about ______________________________ against the US
_______________________and US _____________________ conducted by China’s military.
China holds about __________________, which gives it a degree of __________________
over the United States.