B. Pre-reading exercises

2. China

Nominal GDP: $12.01 trillion 

GDP (PPP): $23.15 trillion

China has experienced exponential growth over the past few decades, breaking the barriers of a centrally planned, closed economy to evolve into a manufacturing and exporting hub of the world. China is often referred to as the "world’s factory" given its huge manufacturing and export base. However, over the years, the role of services has gradually increased and that of manufacturing as a contributor to GDP has declined relatively. Back in 1980, China was the seventh largest economy with a GDP of $305.35 billion while the size of the U.S. then was $2.86 trillion. Since it initiated market reforms in 1978, the Asian giant has seen an economic growth averaging 10% annually. In recent years, the pace of growth has slowed although it remains high in comparison to its peer nations. 

The World Bank reported a spurt in China’s economic growth in 2017 for the first time since 2010, mainly driven by a cyclical rebound in global trade. It projects a growth at 6.6% in 2018 which would sober down to around 5.5% by 2023. Over the years, the difference in the size of the Chinese and the U.S. economy has been shrinking rapidly. In 2017, the Chinese GDP in nominal terms stood at $12.01 trillion, lower than the U.S. by $7.37 trillion. In 2018, the gap is expected to reduce to $6.32 trillion and by 2023 the difference would be of $2.96 trillion. In terms of GDP in PPP, China is the largest economy with a GDP (PPP) of $23.15 trillion. By 2023, China GDP (PPP) would be $37.06 trillion. China’s huge population brings down its GDP per capita to $8,643.11 (seventy-second position).