From the Macro to the Micro Modern Chinese History and Contemporary Xiamen

Lecture 4: Taking the pulse of the Chinese Economy

This lecture gave an insight into the Chinese economy and the changes that have occurred over the years. It covered many relevant topics, including: economic growth and performance,estimate GDP levels, reasons for the new normal, population control policy, why slower growth is good, fiscal/monetary/supply side reforms and lastly the difficulties the government face in bringing in these reforms. The lecture provided a good introduction into the differences between our U.K. Economy and the Chinese Economy, whilst also relating to world wide topical issues. It was very interesting to learn that over the past 35 years China had experienced “stunning economic performance”, and went through the global financial crisis almost unscathed. Another fascinating issue discussed was that “China has become old before it has become rich”. The lecture was made interactive and easy to understand due to the concepts being discussed in simplified terms and the use of well known examples which made it both engaging and enjoyable.