November 27, 2007 9:24
One Estimate on Cleaning Up China
In his previous post, Simon notes that China will begin spending 1.35% of GDP on environmental protection and asks how much it will eventually cost to clean up China's pollution mess. No one will really know the cost of course until it is actually cleaned up. (What would Donald Rumsfeld call that, a "known unknown?") Wang Canfa, who runs the Beijing-based Center for Legal Assistance to Pollution Victims, has his own estimate. Wang, who was named one of TIME's Heroes of the Environment earlier this year, told me that China needs to start spending 2% to 3% of its GDP on environmental cleanup in order to see improvement.
How much is 3% of GDP? It's more than $300 billion, based on last year's numbers. Here's another way to look at it: according to Minxin Pei, a China scholar at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, 3% of China's GDP is the amount that ends up in the hands of the country's elite due to corruption each year.
About The China Blog
Simon Elegant was born in Hong Kong and since then China has pretty much always been at the center of his life. Read more
Liam Fitzpatrick was born in Hong Kong and joined TIME in 2003. He edits Global Adviser for TIME Asia. Read more
Ling Woo Liu worked as a television reporter in Beijing and moved to Hong Kong to report for TIME Asia. Read more
Bill Powell is a senior writer for TIME in Shanghai. He'd been Chief International correspondent for Fortune in Beijing, then NYC. Read more
Austin Ramzy studied Mandarin in China and has a degree in Asian Studies. He has reported for TIME Asia in Hong Kong since 2003. Read more
RSS Feed
 |
Reader Comments
Posted by We have no another earth to live
November 28, 2007
Its estimated that 300 bln US dollar to be invested in energy saving and environmental protection earlier this year, we have a survey on details on our site.
Posted by John Smith
November 28, 2007
Spending 1.35% in cleaning up and 3% in corruption. That is socialism with Chinese characteristics at its best. We must congratulate China on this great accomplishment. Only 3% is required to satisfy all the needs of corrupt officials. No other country can match that record. Most countries are not rich enough to be able to afford such important investment in their economy.
Posted by Anonymous
November 29, 2007
"3% of China's GDP is the amount that ends up in the hands of the country's elite due to corruption each year"
How did he get the number?? I'm very curious about that.
Posted by Anonymous
November 29, 2007
Where the number comes from is not important
The heavy corruption in China is a known fact
Posted by Anonymous
November 29, 2007
The corruption in China a tradition of Chinese officials. They have been doing this for thousands of years.Today,working in the government is the most attracting career plan for many Chinese graduates.
The Gongwuyuan examination each year is the most popular exam in China, even more popular than the College Entrance Examination!
Posted by Anonymous
November 30, 2007
Corruption is everywhere, including the United States. It's also true that a corrupt official is less likely to be caught in the United States. Even if he is caught, he may not be indicted. Even if he is indicted, he will probably not be convicted. And in the very rare case of actually being convicted, he will probably get a pardon from the President.
It's pointless to exaggerate the corruption issue. The fact that corrupt officials are actually sent to jail demonstrates that check and balance is working in China. Of course the system is not perfect and there is indeed a lot to learn from the U.S. institution.