The Jamestown Foundation has a must-read article concerning the human and economic cost of China’s progress. Not to be missed.
According to a recently People’s Daily online special, over 5 million public accidents occurred in 2004 alone, causing the death of 210,000 people, injuring another 1.75 million, and resulting in the immediate economic loss of over USD $57 billion (455 billion Chinese yuan). It is estimated that the direct annual cost of such disasters for China is more than USD $81 billion (650 billion yuan) on average, equal to 6% of the country’s annual GDP. To state the obvious: most of China’s economic growth each year is simply cancelled out by the immediate sacrifice of human lives and long-term damage to the environment.
China is no doubt one of the countries in the world that is seriously affected by natural disasters, which are large in volume, high in frequency, and severe in losses. The lives of more than 200 million people, or one-seventh of the Chinese population, are routinely disrupted by natural disturbances. 70% of China’s major cities, more than one-half of the Chinese population and more than 75% of China’s GDP are spread across the eastern part of the country where climate, water, and earthquake disasters cause considerable damage.
Also, be sure to check out another well written Jamestown article, Beijing’s strategy to counter U.S. influence in Asia.
1
By Laowai 19790204
An article in Nature magazine (one of the most well respected science journals) by chinese and western scientists found that ENVIRONMENTAL problems ALONE cost China between 7 and 20% of their GDP per year. TWENTY PERCENT
http://tinyurl.com/a6t87
my brief of the article, if you haven’t read it already. THIS is why China needs environmentally sustainable growth.
December 8, 2005 @ 9:26 am | Comment
2
By ckrisz
Whoa. And this was in People’s Daily? Someone’s making a point.
December 8, 2005 @ 10:46 am | Comment
3
By jeffery
really?
i don’t think that People’s Dialy did publish this article.
December 8, 2005 @ 7:19 pm | Comment
4
By Ckrisz
“According to a recently People’s Daily online special, over 5 million “public accidents” occurred in 2004 alone, causing the death of 210,000 people, injuring another 1.75 million, and resulting in the immediate economic loss of over USD $57 billion (455 billion Chinese yuan).”
December 9, 2005 @ 9:13 am | Comment
5
By Shanghai Slim
Great article, thanks Richard!
December 9, 2005 @ 9:32 am | Comment
6
By Martyn
The Jamestown Foundation churns out 4 usually well written articles from prominent China watchers, like Willy Lam, every fortnight. The two linked articles are the best I’ve seen for quite a while.
December 10, 2005 @ 8:24 am | Comment