MODERN CHINA East Asia – Day 16
Jan 18, 2018
MODERN CHINA East Asia – Day 16
Social Problems POPULATION! – 1.3 billion people Imbalance of wealth between rich and poor Urbanization
62% of population lives in rural areas now but in 2035 it is predicted that 70% will live in urban areas
Aging Nation Currently 10% of population considered
elderly 2050 – median age in China will be 45
Environmental Problems Air Pollution
According to the EPA Air Quality Scale, any pollution rating above 300 means air is unsafe to breathe.
January 2013 – 19 days above 300 (Beijing) January 12, 2013 – Air quality reached 886 (Beijing)
Water Pollution January 2013 – a chemical accident leaked
benzene, a known cancer-causing agent, into a tributary of the Huangpu River
More than half of China’s surface water is so polluted that it cannot be treated to make drinkable
Environmental Problems
Desertification Permanent destruction of forests in order to
make the land available for other uses ¼ of China’s total land surface is under
desertification “Cancer Villages”
Entire towns that have been written off as so polluted that simply living there is a cancer risk
China in the Global Economy
China is the largest holder of U.S. public debt
World’s second largest economy (behind U.S.)
One of the world’s fastest-growing major economies
World’s largest exporter and importer of goods