China’s rise has been impressive by many standards. There is no clearer indication of the country’s progress than its share of the world economy. Measured in purchasing power parity, China’s share of global GDP fell from an estimated 32 per cent in 1820 - when Qing dynasty emperor Daoguang began his reign - to a mere 5 per cent at the end of the Cultural Revolution in 1976. And yet, by last year, China’s share had climbed to nearly 19 per cent.
But its rise has also attracted fear and scepticism from its neighbours and the wider international community. Ensuring its 1.4 billion people share in the country's rising fortunes also remains a tall order
Population
The population is expected to age more rapidly, with the median age set to reach about 38 by 2020 – the same as the US. That has partly contributed to Beijing's push for an innovation-driven economy instead of a labour-intensive one
TOTAL POPULATION (In millions)
RURAL VS URBAN China’s urban residents have gone from 10 per cent of the population in 1949 to 60 per cent now. However, the household registration system used to control migration remains a source of inequality, with nearly 30 per cent of urban dwellers treated as migrants
BIRTH AND DEATH RATE
Urbanisation as percentage of total population
LIFE EXPECTANCY AT BIRTH
BEIJING NOW AND THEN The capital city has been trying to reduce its population and restrict immigration since the early years of communist China, but efforts have been largely unsuccessful. From a population of 4.2 million in 1949, Beijing has grown to 21.5 million last year, underscoring the capital’s attractiveness to people across the country seeking better hospitals, universities, jobs and other benefits
Education
GRADUATES FROM REGULAR INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION
GRADUATES BY EDUCATIONAL LEVEL
Health
GOVERNMENT STATISTICS CHANGED TO INCLUDE VILLAGE CLINICS AS HEALTH-CARE INSTITUTIONS
Economy
China overtook Japan to become the world’s second-largest economy in 2010. But GDP per capita remains below the global average and it was only one-fifth that of advanced economies last year
GDP PER CAPITA (US$, thousands)
TRADE (Total goods value in US$ billion)
Fast track
China has built the world’s longest high-speed railway network in just a decade, with a total of 30,000km of track in operation as of last year. As part of the ambitious Belt and Road Initiative, Beijing has proposed high-speed networks that will ultimately connect Britain at one end, the United States at another, Singapore in the south, with China in the centre
RAILWAYS China’s railway network has grown from 22,000km in 1949 to 132,000km last year, extending throughout the country
LENGTH OF RAILWAYS IN OPERATION (KM)
MOTORWAYS China had no motorways until 1988, but the network grew into a total of 143,000km by 2018. Its expressway network also expanded 60 times from what it was in 1949, reaching 4,850,000 km
LENGTH OF EXPRESSWAYS IN OPERATION
Agriculture
China prides itself on having less than 9 per cent of the world’s arable land to feed nearly 20 per cent of the global population. Its total production of grain has grown 4.8 times since 1949
TOTAL SOWN AREAS OF FARM CROPS
NUMBER OF LIVESTOCK AT YEAR-END
Defence budget
China releases a defence budget every year but limited transparency means it is hard to know how much it really spends. The US estimates the PLA Navy has more than 300 vessels, with more being built, including aircraft carriers
National Day parades
Usually taking place every 10 years, these displays have included nuclear missiles and cutting-edge stealth jets. The civilian parade can indicate the power and stature of China’s leaders
SOLDIERS ON PARADE The number of troops taking part has fallen over the years, but the 2019 event involved 15,000 soldiers and a record number of generals
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