China Stock Market

Civil conflict, military losses, famines, and foreign occupation forced China to end its reign as an important civilization. The MAO Zedong Communist rule created an autocratic socialist form of government that limited people’s freedom. While strict political controls are still evident today, life has considerably improved, allowing people some personal freedom. With the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing approaching and China trying to promote itself as an open country, Prime Minister WEN Jiabao has issued a decree stating that the Chinese government will start releasing information, such as government budget or food safety, as long as it does not undermine the nation’s security or economic procedures; the decree is set to take effect May 1, 2008.
Capital City: Beijing (+8 GMT)
Chief of State: President HU Jintao
Head of Govt.: Premier WEN Jiabao
Currency: Yuan
Main Cities: Shanghai, Tianjin, Shenyang
Major Languages: Mandarin
Calling Code: 86
Voltage: 220V
Stock Exchanges: Hong Kong Stock Exchange
Primary Religions: Daoist (Taoist), Buddhist, officially atheist
Main Airports
Beijing Capital International (PEK/BJS), Guangzhou Baiyun International (CAN), Shanghai Hongqiao (SHA)
U.S. Embassy
American Embassy Beijing Xiu Shui Bei Jie 3 Beijing 100600 People's Republic of China Tel.: (86) (10) 6532-3831
Statistics
GDP: purchasing power parity:
$8.859 trillion (2005 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
9.9% (official data) (2005 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity:
6,800 (2005 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
1.8% (2005 est.)
Labor force:
791.4 million (2005 est.)
Exports:
$752.2 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)
Exports - partners:
US 21.4%, Hong Kong 16.3%, Japan 11%, South Korea 4.6%, Germany 4.3% (2005)
Imports:
$631.8 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)
Imports - partners:
Japan 15.2%, South Korea 11.6%, Taiwan 11.2%, US 7.4%, Germany 4.6% (2005)
Population:
1,313,973,713 (July 2006 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.59% (2006 est.)
Population Below Poverty Line:
10% (2001 est.)
Major Industries:
mining and ore processing, iron, steel, aluminum, and other metals, coal; machine building; armaments; textiles and apparel; petroleum; cement; chemicals; fertilizers; consumer products, including footwear, toys, and electronics; food processing; transportation equipment, including automobiles, rail cars and locomotives, ships, and aircraft; telecommunications equipment, commercial space launch vehicles, satellites
Employing Workers: 78*
Registering Property: 21*
Enforcing Contracts: 63*
Closing a Business: 75*
*2006 World Bank rank out of 175 countries