China's economy
While it represented less than a 1 % of the world GDP before 1978, China became a powerful exporter. It took the head of the world exporters of textile industries, shoes, toys, electronic products... Its products have invaded the world, especially after its membership to the WTO in 2001. For two decades this increase of the exports provoked a strong growth which exceeds every year the 9 %. According to Lemoine (2008), the growth rate of the Chinese economy is doubtless lower than the official figure: closer of 7 % that 9 %. This development leaded for millions of Chinese homes, an increase of the purchasing power and the standard of living. At the same time it became an important outlet and a serious competitor. It develops a policy of foreign investments (in Africa, Asia and Latin America) to secure its supplies in raw materials and, to diversify its markets. All this explain its biggest participation in the international trade. In 2008, the world economy is hard struck by a financial crisis which finds its origins in the United States. This crisis leaded a fall of the Chinese exports: world stops shopping and China is getting nervous (see to video3). The World Bank revised again in the decline its growth forecasts in China: 6,5 % for 2009 instead of 7,5 % (OECD banks on a Chinese growth close to 6 %). According to her, this slowing down should lead to a decrease of the investments (-15,8 % in February), in an increase of the unemployment and in a transfer of the exports on the internal market.
According to the OECD, the growth of the world economy should be “negative” in 2009, the Chinese growth cannot “compensate for the negative growth” of industrial countries. Indeed, it became more dependent on the world situation by the interdependences of the business and financial connections. It is thus more affected by the deterioration of the world situation. The effect of training of the Chinese growth about the USA and the EU is still