What do you know?
Why do countries trade?
Through trade, countries can sell the resources they have and gain access to the resources they don’t have. Countries can benefit from trading if they export (sell) more resources than they import (buy), which adds to their economy.
Key points
- The percentage of adults that can read and write. The literacy rate in the UK is 99%. in China have increased and This could mean having little money or few possessions. has decreased.
- The country now sells more Products that are made, often in factories. goods than any other country and is home to some of the world’s most innovative companies.
- China is becoming a global power. It has grown to become the world’s second biggest economy.
What social changes are taking place in China?
After almost 40 years, China’s A law that prevented couples from having more than one child. ended in 2015. The policy was put in place to slow down rapid When the number of people living in an area increases. by restricting families to have only one child. Families are now allowed to have more than one child.
China’s population is now Where the proportion of older people is increasing within a place or country.. The average age that a person is expected to live. This varies from country to country. is increasing, and many younger people are choosing not to have children. The country is now encouraging families to have more children.
Literacy rates in China have increased from 66 per cent to 97 per cent since 1980. Poverty has decreased, and as of 2024, only 0.1% of the population now live on less than $2.15 (around £1.50 to £2) a day.
However, People living in the countryside. and minority A community of people who share a common cultural background. have seen fewer improvements. These groups of people tend to live When somewhere lies a long way away from other places. Remote areas are far away from anywhere else. and so struggle to access higher-paid employment and opportunities in cities.
Question
Name two things that have improved the quality of life for people in China.
Literacy rates have increased, which means people can study for qualifications and apply for higher-paid jobs and have more disposable income. Poverty has decreased, which means that people have more money to spend on the things they need.
What evidence is there that China has an ageing population?
The percentage of people in China aged 65 and above has increased over time.
- In 1960, less than five per cent of China’s population was aged 65 or above.
- By 2023, more than fourteen per cent of China's population was aged 65 or above.
This means that the percentage of older people living in China is increasing over time.
What economic changes are taking place in China?
China is a An acronym of the countries experiencing fast economic growth. The countries are Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. economy. This means that it is recognised as an Countries that are experiencing high economic growth and rapid expansion of trade and investment, such as China and India. with fast rates of An increase in the production of goods and services over a period of time that allows a country to earn more money.. China's The value of all of the goods and services produced in a country during a year. has increased from $2 trillion to almost $18 trillion in twenty years. On average, Chinese people now earn more and buy more luxury goods than ever before.
China also now sells more manufactured goods than any country. As home to some of the world’s most innovative companies, it is a global leader in New or developing IT ideas. These could include new software, games consoles or mobile phone technology..
China is becoming a global power. It has the world’s second biggest economy and this increasing wealth is allowing it to have greater influence over other countries. China’s A series of overland corridors and sea routes that are helping China to trade with other countries. strategy has secured A passage that enables countries to buy and sell goods to one another. across the ocean (belt) and over the land (road) between China and countries in Asia, Africa and Europe.
Question
What is China’s ‘Belt and Road’ strategy?
China’s ‘Belt and Road’ strategy is an attempt to secure trade routes with other countries. The ‘belt’ refers to ocean routes and the ‘road’ refers to overland routes. Securing trade routes means that China can continue to sell to other countries.
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