I was a bit surprised to read this headline on the front page of an English daily here in Japan. In an article written by Joseph Kahn for The New York Times, he writes of the problems of a runaway growth economy within the country is having on the much poorer rural areas. Much of the growth of the Middle Kingdom is located near large urban centres and coastal regions. It should go without saying that like many nations, most of the richer zones of any country are near major waterways. According to the article, some 800 million people live outside cities.
What this means is that there are some 400 million people within China who receive direct benefits from a growing country. I guess it is up to these well-off people to send money and jobs back into the 'hinterlands'. Okay, here are some interesting points to consider now. If the PRC government deems it is necessary to send money, jobs and development to those regions, how much strain will this place on the world's resources? How much more cement, steel and oil will China devour and consume? These 800 million people represent a huge marketplace for any international company seeking to bring its products and services to new segments.
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