As I said, I am no expert – but here’s some info from someone who is – a friend of Allen’s who has been involved with China on the highest level since 1987.

Barbara, FYI

The state does not own all of the land. Homes and business can now buy, sell and trade land privately, acquired either from the State or other private individuals. Only couples in crowded cities can have one child and actually they can have more than one, but get heavily financially penalized for doing so. Country folk, depending on where they are and population, can have more than one up to an infinite number. The press is controlled, but even then there are detractors, investigative reporters, etc. Of course the inter-net sort of blows the top off of controlled press. There is also a HUGE difference of opinions within the government and they are from the far left to the far right just as in ours – it is human nature. Barbara, you are just seeing the tip of the iceberg. If you see where China was 25 years ago, you would be astonished at the progress. It has gone from putting people in jail for talking with foreigners to incouraging all students to learn a foreign language to communicate on all topics from religion, to economics, to government – without fear of government reprisals. China has gone from a backward fearful country to a burgeoning modern country. China built more multi-lane interstate highways in 5 years than the USA has since the 50s. It has new modern airports in virtually every major city in China – no matter how remote. It has built Tienjien (SP?) virtually from scratch to a city over twice the size of NYC, all dedicated to manufacturing and trading in the New Territories since I was first there in 1987. China has gone from an isolation country to one with projects in almost every country in Africa, SE Asia and South America. It is also tying up oil and mineral production everywhre in the world (ie in Chile, a new copper mine is opening – China has exclusive right to the first 20 years of production for financing the project). China also joined the World Trade Organization and is in the process of modernizing its trade and business laws. It leads the world now in energy capacity, steel production (with capacity for about 4 times as much in the most modern plants on the face of the world) , China is manufacturing more automobiles than GM and is about to enter the world market with its vehicles. Cguba is focused on GREEN manufacturing and research. On the Military side, it has launched rockets into space, sent up satilites, and is in the final stages of perfecting a “smart” rocket with a conventional warhead to hit aircraft carriers up to 900 miles away while they are on the move – effectively taking away the USA capacity to strike China with our carrier borne jets if it ever came to war. IE It would make our carriers obsolete. Of course, war with China is remote because of our trade dependency on each other, but our major concern is that it sells them to the Irans of the world. The USA would no longer rule the waives – and certainly not the Gulf. Good news bad news. I could write volumns more, but I am glad you are getting a glimpse of tomorrow.