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| | China's economy regained momentum in the early 1990s. During a visit to southern China in early 1992, China's paramount leader at the time, Deng Xiaoping, made a series of political pronouncements designed to reinvigorate the process of economic reform. The 14th Party Congress later in the year backed Deng's renewed push for market reforms, stating that China's key task in the 1990s was to create a "socialist market economy." The 10-year development plan for the 1990s stressed continuity in the political system with bolder reform of the economic system. | | China's economy regained momentum in the early 1990s. During a visit to southern China in early 1992, China's paramount leader at the time, Deng Xiaoping, made a series of political pronouncements designed to reinvigorate the process of economic reform. The 14th Party Congress later in the year backed Deng's renewed push for market reforms, stating that China's key task in the 1990s was to create a "socialist market economy." The 10-year development plan for the 1990s stressed continuity in the political system with bolder reform of the economic system. |
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| − | China's economy grew at an average rate of 10% per year during the period 1990-2004, the highest growth rate in the world. China's gross domestic product (GDP) grew 10.0% in 2003, and even faster, 10.1%, in 2004, and 9.9% in 2005 despite attempts by the government to cool the economy. China's total trade in 2006 surpassed $1.76 trillion, making China the world's third-largest trading nation after the U.S. and Germany. Such high growth is necessary if China is to generate the 15 million jobs needed annually—roughly the size of Ecuador or Cambodia—to employ new entrants into the job market. | + | China's economy grew at an average rate of 10% per year during the period 1990–2004, the highest growth rate in the world. China's gross domestic product (GDP) grew 10.0% in 2003, and even faster, 10.1%, in 2004, and 9.9% in 2005 despite attempts by the government to cool the economy. China's total trade in 2006 surpassed $1.76 trillion, making China the world's third-largest trading nation after the U.S. and Germany. Such high growth is necessary if China is to generate the 15 million jobs needed annually—roughly the size of Ecuador or Cambodia—to employ new entrants into the job market. |
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| | Nevertheless, serious imbalances exist behind the spectacular trade performance, high investment flows, and high GDP growth. High numbers of non-performing loans weigh down the state-run banking system. Inefficient state-owned enterprises (SOEs) are still a drag on growth, despite announced efforts to sell, merge, or close the vast majority of SOEs. | | Nevertheless, serious imbalances exist behind the spectacular trade performance, high investment flows, and high GDP growth. High numbers of non-performing loans weigh down the state-run banking system. Inefficient state-owned enterprises (SOEs) are still a drag on growth, despite announced efforts to sell, merge, or close the vast majority of SOEs. |
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| | In the 19th and early 20th centuries, the country was beset by large-scale civil wars, major famines, military defeats by Britain and Japan, regional control by powerful warlords and foreign intervention such as the [[Boxer Rebellion]] of 1900. In 1911 a revolution deposed the [[Qing dynasty]] and the [[Republic of China]] was proclaimed. | | In the 19th and early 20th centuries, the country was beset by large-scale civil wars, major famines, military defeats by Britain and Japan, regional control by powerful warlords and foreign intervention such as the [[Boxer Rebellion]] of 1900. In 1911 a revolution deposed the [[Qing dynasty]] and the [[Republic of China]] was proclaimed. |
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| − | Under the leadership of the [[KMT]] (Kuomintang), headed by [[Chiang Kai-shek]] (1887-1975), the central government finally suppressed the local warlords who effectively controlled many provinces. The KMT tried to destroy the Communists under [[Mao Zedong]], but they escaped in the "Long March" of 1934-35. Japan seized Manchuria in 1931, and in 1937 invaded all of China, seizing the coast, the major cities, and setting up a puppet government that controlled most of the population. China was allied with the U.S. and Britain against Japan, and at war's end joined the United Nations as a permanent member of the 5-nation Security Council, with a veto. | + | Under the leadership of the [[KMT]] (Kuomintang), headed by [[Chiang Kai-shek]] (1887-1975), the central government finally suppressed the local warlords who effectively controlled many provinces. The KMT tried to destroy the Communists under [[Mao Zedong]], but they escaped in the "Long March" of 1934–35. Japan seized Manchuria in 1931, and in 1937 invaded all of China, seizing the coast, the major cities, and setting up a puppet government that controlled most of the population. China was allied with the U.S. and Britain against Japan, and at war's end joined the United Nations as a permanent member of the 5-nation Security Council, with a veto. |
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| | ===Maoist revolution=== | | ===Maoist revolution=== |
| − | In 1945-46, the U.S. attempted to force a negotiated settlement between the KMT and the Communists, but failed. In the face of economic collapse the Communists won the civil war in 1949 under [[Mao Zedong]] established a totalitarian regime, forcing the elected constitutional ROC Government to Taiwan. Taiwan is recognized as an integral part of China in theory, but in practice has been independent since 1949. | + | In 1945–46, the U.S. attempted to force a negotiated settlement between the KMT and the Communists, but failed. In the face of economic collapse the Communists won the civil war in 1949 under [[Mao Zedong]] established a totalitarian regime, forcing the elected constitutional ROC Government to Taiwan. Taiwan is recognized as an integral part of China in theory, but in practice has been independent since 1949. |
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| | Mao liquidated millions of opponents, acting against the International society in the [[Korean War]] (1950–53), and around 1960 broke bitterly with the Soviet Union over the control of the Communist world. Mao's regime imposed strict controls over everyday life and cost the lives of tens of millions of people. | | Mao liquidated millions of opponents, acting against the International society in the [[Korean War]] (1950–53), and around 1960 broke bitterly with the Soviet Union over the control of the Communist world. Mao's regime imposed strict controls over everyday life and cost the lives of tens of millions of people. |
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| | China agreed to the Biological Weapons Convention in 1984, but both academics and government agencies have asserted that the regime is a world leader in [[bioweapon]] production.<ref>https://www.the-scientist.com/news-opinion/questions-surround-canadian-shipment-of-deadly-viruses-to-china-66254</ref> The [[U.S. State Department]] and other agencies stating publicly in 2009 that they believe China has offensive biological agents.<ref>https://www.voanews.com/archive/china-denies-us-report-it-has-biological-weapons-capabilities</ref> China is “commonly considered to have an active biological warfare program,” says the Federation of American Scientists. An official with the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Chemical Defence charged that China is the world leader in toxin “threats.”<ref>https://www.nationaldefensemagazine.org/articles/2019/7/23/defense-officials-see-increased-threat-from-chinese-russian-chembio-weapon</ref> | | China agreed to the Biological Weapons Convention in 1984, but both academics and government agencies have asserted that the regime is a world leader in [[bioweapon]] production.<ref>https://www.the-scientist.com/news-opinion/questions-surround-canadian-shipment-of-deadly-viruses-to-china-66254</ref> The [[U.S. State Department]] and other agencies stating publicly in 2009 that they believe China has offensive biological agents.<ref>https://www.voanews.com/archive/china-denies-us-report-it-has-biological-weapons-capabilities</ref> China is “commonly considered to have an active biological warfare program,” says the Federation of American Scientists. An official with the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Chemical Defence charged that China is the world leader in toxin “threats.”<ref>https://www.nationaldefensemagazine.org/articles/2019/7/23/defense-officials-see-increased-threat-from-chinese-russian-chembio-weapon</ref> |
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| − | In July 2019. [[Xiangguo Qiu]] and a number of Qiu’s students were forcibly removed from Canada's only level-4 laboratory. A Level 4 virology facility is a lab equipped to work with the most serious and deadly human and animal diseases. The laboratory in Winnepeg, [[Manitoba]] is one of only a handful in [[North America]] capable of handling pathogens requiring the highest level of containment.<ref>https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/chinese-researcher-escorted-from-infectious-disease-lab-amid-rcmp-investigation-1.5211567</ref> | + | In July 2019. [[Xiangguo Qiu]] and a number of Qiu's students were forcibly removed from Canada's only level-4 laboratory. A Level 4 virology facility is a lab equipped to work with the most serious and deadly human and animal diseases. The laboratory in Winnepeg, [[Manitoba]] is one of only a handful in [[North America]] capable of handling pathogens requiring the highest level of containment.<ref>https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/chinese-researcher-escorted-from-infectious-disease-lab-amid-rcmp-investigation-1.5211567</ref> |
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| | Bio-warfare experts questioned why Canada was sending lethal viruses to China.<ref>https://edmontonjournal.com/health/bio-warfare-experts-question-why-canada-was-sending-lethal-viruses-to-china/wcm/fce2a521-4ce1-4eb0-8ccf-43f165713c0b/</ref> | | Bio-warfare experts questioned why Canada was sending lethal viruses to China.<ref>https://edmontonjournal.com/health/bio-warfare-experts-question-why-canada-was-sending-lethal-viruses-to-china/wcm/fce2a521-4ce1-4eb0-8ccf-43f165713c0b/</ref> |
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| | ===Organ harvesting=== | | ===Organ harvesting=== |
| − | While the the [[CCP pandemic]] unfolded the China Tribunal, an independent people’s tribunal, released its full judgment on Chinese forced organ harvesting. The panel was chaired by Sir Geoffrey Nice who previously led the [[prosecution]] of former [[Yugoslavia]] [[Prime Minister]] [[Slobodan Milosevic]] for [[war crimes]] at the International Criminal Tribunal and included other experts in law, transplant surgery, international politics, Chinese history and business. The experts concluded that the grisly practice has continued unabated. In June 2019 the tribunal delivered its findings in [[London]], concluding beyond a | + | While the [[CCP pandemic]] unfolded the China Tribunal, an independent people's tribunal, released its full judgment on Chinese forced organ harvesting. The panel was chaired by Sir Geoffrey Nice who previously led the [[prosecution]] of former [[Yugoslavia]] [[Prime Minister]] [[Slobodan Milosevic]] for [[war crimes]] at the International Criminal Tribunal and included other experts in law, transplant surgery, international politics, Chinese history and business. The experts concluded that the grisly practice has continued unabated. In June 2019 the tribunal delivered its findings in [[London]], concluding beyond a |
| | reasonable doubt that state sanctioned forced organ harvesting from prisoners of conscience has taken place for years in China on a significant scale and is | | reasonable doubt that state sanctioned forced organ harvesting from prisoners of conscience has taken place for years in China on a significant scale and is |
| | still taking place. The main organ supply came from imprisoned practitioners of the persecuted spiritual group [[Falun Gong]]. | | still taking place. The main organ supply came from imprisoned practitioners of the persecuted spiritual group [[Falun Gong]]. |