Lifestyle in China

The rapid growth of the Chinese economy is for some an area of concern; for others: excitement. For many in China dramatic lifestyle changes have mirrored the direction the economy is taking. In Beijing during the Summer of 2004 the latest fashion statement was a Hummer H2 - an enormous American 4X4 vehicle. The Hummer could be seen ploughing its way through neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Beijijng which two years previously were surrounded by corn fields. Now, they're surrounded by huge new building sites for luxury housing complexes - places with names like Grand Hills, Riviera, or, leaving no doubt about the analogy, Yosemite Park.

China's new rich can buy a fully packaged American lifestyle, five bedrooms, a real log fire, and an extra large garage for the 4X4 - for the bargain sum of $1m, and there are no shortage of takers. Claims that the new money is far from clean are equally abundant - reports of corrupt officials, police officers and even the odd gangster persist. However an increasing number of China's nouveau riche are from a class that 10 years ago hardly existed in China: private entrepreneurs.

The 'revolution' is based on a limitless supply of manpower, and the entrepreneurial elite are wasting no time in making making the most of the opportunity to produce at full capacity. Not only in the big cities, but all across Southern China, modern factories are springing up. Oversized gates proudly display names like Golden Dragon Footwear, or Bright China Leather. One even exists with a huge billboard showing Pierce Brosnan, better known as 007, purportedly wearing one of the company's suits. There are 900 million poor farmers in China's countryside, according to many all eager to up sticks and move to a factory. As one Chinese economist recently suggested: "If all the industrial jobs in Europe and America moved to China tomorrow, we'd still have plenty of people left over!"

Adapted from BBC Business news, July 2004

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