[DB]

Okay, I looked up the per capita GDP of both China and the US. China per capita GDP is $6,300 and the US is $42,000 (or 6.67 times higher per person). These are 2005 numbers based on the "CIA Factbook" Web site.

[Common Sense 101]

"Politics blamed for China's trillion-dollar bad debts"

No problem Chi-coms... Print more money!

[NZerFromHK]

I think the official figure for the richest province, Guangdong, officially managed to break over US$10,000 only last year. And add to it only Shanghai, Zhejiang, Beijing, and Fujian are prosperous. These areas comprise about 20% of the populations. All other provinces is about 1/3 or even 1/2 lower than the wealthy areas' levels. This is why I think the $6,300 figure sounds a bit too high.

Also I know some non-politically related people who are starting to feel well off, but they would be considered pretty poor even by Malaysian or Thai standards. Most of the wealth is concentrated in party opfficials and their cronies (dai quans).

[Mase]

...per capita GDP of both China and the US. China per capita GDP is $6,300 and the US is $42,000 (or 6.67 times higher per person). These are 2005 numbers based on the "CIA Factbook" Web site.

The CIA uses Purchasing Power Parity. I'm not so sure that's the best way to measure per capita GDP or the size of their total GDP. China's per capita GDP is more likely $1,200 while the US has a per capita GDP of more than $36,000.

Heritage Foundation: Index of Economic Freedom