[ninenot]

China and India grew at 8-10%, but their starting base is much lower than ours

Your number is wrong. China's growth last year was WAY in excess of 12%, and it's larger YTD 2004.

And, btw, growth is growth, regardless of "starting point."

Just co-incidence that US growth last year was anemic (and YTD04 is also anemic)?

[Cronos]

Your number is wrong. China's growth last year was WAY in excess of 12%, and it's larger YTD 2004.

China's growth was less than 10% last year. That is nothign considering the base level or starting point. e.g. suppose you start up a company in the year 2000 and make a profit of $1000 that year. The next year you make $2000 -- that's a 100% increase in profit. Now, it's easy to make $1000 to $2000 but not that easy to make $2000 $4000. And hte US is much much larger economically so it's 4% GDP growth is massively larger than China's 10% growth.