This paper is the first chapter in the Oxford Companion to the Economics of China (Oxford University Press, forthcoming …). Rather than trying to summarize other contributors' views, we provide our own perspectives on the Economics of China …--the past experience and the future prospects. Our reading of China's economic development over the past 35 years raises two …

products, aggravating environmental damage. China's rapidly growing trade and serious environmental degradation appear to be no … exception. However, much of China's trade growth is attributable to the international fragmentation of production. This kind of … trade could be cleaner, if fragmented production occurs in cleaner goods, or if China specializes in cleaner stages of …

This paper documents the major transformation of higher education that has been underway in China since 1999 and … evaluates its potential global impacts. Reflecting China's commitment to continued high growth through quality upgrading and the … China has been grown at approximately 30% per year since 1999, and the number of graduates at all levels of higher education …

Is the high degree of gender inequality in developing countries--in education, personal autonomy, and more … inequality? This article discusses several mechanisms through which, as countries grow, gender gaps narrow. I argue that while … much of the GDP/gender-inequality relationship can be explained by the process of development, society-specific factors are …

How much of China's recent economic performance can be attributed to market-oriented reforms introduced in the last two … paper compares the integration of rice markets in China today and 270 years ago. In the 18th century, transport technology … pattern of interregional income in China is strongly linked to persistent geographic factors that were already apparent …

over a single generation. China now seems poised to follow a similar trajectory. All three cases highlight the importance …