1. Inside the Rising Superpower

2. A Rising Superpower Since the reforms in 1979, China has grown by leaps and bounds. Here is a snapshot of what is happening in this rising superpower http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2008/05/china/a erials/steinmetz-photography http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2008/05/china/a erials/steinmetz-photography

3. One-Child Policy In 1978 China was overcrowded, didn’t have enough food, and had a low standard of living. The Communist government started the 1 child per couple plan to help reduce these problems China’s one-child policy has created a generation of only children that numbers 90 million. 119 baby boys are born for every 100 girls. The number of unmarried young men is predicted to be 30 million in 2020. Many girl babies are killed or abandoned Abortions take place (sometimes forced)

4. Religion in China Confuncianism Started in 500 BC in China by a man named Confucius It strives to create balance and harmony. Everyone must respect laws and behave according to their position. Ruler to subject, husband to wife, father to son, etc. Still practiced in China Atheism The belief in no God or Higher Being Communist declared that China was their God Laws have been more relaxed and people are allowed to practice religion

5. Religions of China Today 41.5%- Nonreligious 27.5%- traditional Chinese religions 8.5%- Buddhists 8.4%- Christians 8.2%- Atheists 1.5%- Muslim

6. Minorities 91% of Chinese are ethnic Han There are 55 non- Han ethnic groups, which add up to be more than a hundred million citizens (population of Mexico) Ethnic groups are exempt from the one child policy

7. Conflict with Minorities Tibetans Wish to be independent country Society based on Buddhist religion Dalai Lama, the leader, was forced into exile. World pressure to allow Tibetians to be free.

8. Uyghur Ethnic group a Turkic Muslim ethnic group live mostly in China's northwestern Xinjiang They have, until recently, retained a cultural identity. In recent years, though, the Chinese government has come to recognize the valuable resources in Xinjiang, which contains 40 percent of China's coal reserves -- more than a fifth of its natural gas, as well as gold and mineral deposits. Ethnic Hans have been encouraged to move to this region and now make-up almost 50% of the people

9. In July Uyghurs and police violently clashed. At least 197 people were killed and about 1,600 were injured, this according to official figure and police arrested thousands of Uyghurs. Uyghurs think the Chinese are trying to wipe-out their culture. http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2009/12/uygurs/d rake-photography http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2009/12/uygurs/d rake-photography

10. Environmental Issues China has the world’s highest number of annual deaths triggered by air pollution In northern China, desertification is wiping out one million acres of grassland a year- overgrazing and over- farming The largest river, The Yellow River, no longer reaches the ocean and is very polluted China recently surpassed the US in carbon dioxide emissions They construct 2 midsize coal plants each week

11. Economy China is expected to overtake the US as the world’s largest economy in ten years. Rise of the middle class http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2008/05/china/m iddle-class/olson-photography http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2008/05/china/m iddle-class/olson-photography

12. Factory to the World 70% of the world’s umbrellas are made in China 60% of the world’s buttons are made in China 72% of US shoes are made in China 50% of US kitchen appliances are made in China 85% of US artificial Christmas trees are made in China 80% of US toys are made in China 9% of Chinese goods sent to the US that end up on Wal- mart’s shelves Of the unsafe toys recalled in the US in 2007, 100% were made in China It takes 6 months of work for a Chinese worker to earn the cost of a Thomas the Train Engine train set (recalled toy)

13. Popularity of Cars Second largest car market in the world Private car ownership started in 1994, now 11 million own cars and there are 1,000 additional cars on Beijing roads every day. Drive-through McDonald’s in 2005-1 Drive through McDonald’s in 2008-115 By 2025, China is expected to have more cars than the US

14. China and Oil China imported 166 million barrels of oil in 1996 China imported 1,065 million barrels of oil in 2006

15. Urbanization Urban Chinese earn more than three times as much as those in rural areas, the highest gap since the start if reforms in 1978. One in 4 residents of Beijing is a migrant from the country.

16. Health Issues 33% of the world’s smokers are in China 3 million new smokers each year 540 million people exposed to hazardous amounts of secondhand smoke Average of 20 cigarettes a man smokes each day Large rates of cancer from pollution

17. Digital World China has the world’s largest number of Internet users-220 million- surpassing Web surfers in the US Cell phones in China have grown from 87 million in 2000 to 432 million today