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China: China's Human Development Index Since 1980 Till Present
China: China's Human Development Index Since 1980 Till Present
China's socialist market economy is the world's second largest economy by nominal GDP and the
world's largest economy by purchasing power parity according to the IMF, Until 2015, China was the
world's fastest-growing major economy, with growth rates averaging 10% over 30 years.[ The
country has an estimated $23 trillion worth of natural resources, 90% of which are coal and rare
earth metals. China is a global hub for manufacturing and is the largest manufacturing economy in
the world as well as the largest exporter of goods in the world. China is also the world's fastest
growing consumer market and second largest importer of goods in the world. China is a net importer
of services products.
China, having been through a long period of economic downturn before 1978, has recently become
one of the world's major economic powers, following the implementation of economic reform from
1979. China shows a great development potential from its remarkable economic growth rate in
these years Between 1978 and 2005, China's per capita GDP had grown from $153 to $1284, while
its current account surplus had increased over twelve-fold between 1982 and 2004, from $5.7 billion
to $71 billion. During this time, China had also become an industrial powerhouse, moving beyond
initial successes in low-wage sectors like clothing and footwear to the increasingly sophisticated
production of computers, pharmaceuticals, and automobiles.
China is currently ranked 90th of 188 countries on the HDI. China's notable achievements
include per capita GDP of $7575 in 2014; life expectancy of 74.8, well above the world's
average of 70; universal nine-year compulsory education and the elimination of illiteracy
among young and middle-aged citizens.
China's rapid economic growth has played a critical role towards its progress in human
development.
Between 1980 and 2010, China's income index ranked first in the world, and the contribution
of economic growth to its HDI was 56.26 percent. In three decades, around 660 million
people were lifted out of poverty, said the report.
Innovations and improvements in China's education and healthcare system will contribute to
the sustainable development of China's economy, and will promote continuous improvement
of its inclusive human development, the report concluded.
2004 0.63
At the current rate, China's HDI will increase by 16 percent by 2035, reaching 0.902. In the
next 20 years, indicators in education will surpass income as the greatest contributing factor
to HDI growth, predicted by the report.
China has been the second best performer over the last 40 years in terms of HDI improvement and is
the only country on the report’s “Top 10 Movers” list due to improvements in income rather than
health or education. China’s per capita income has increased 21 times since 1970.
Comparison
In addition to Health, Education, Civil Rights and Environmental issues, the latest Human
Development Index is added by the most dynamic concept such as empowerment, sustainability/
vulnerability, Gender inequality. According to the latest report of 2015, both the economies of India
and China are classified in one group of countries defined as “Medium Human Development”. China
ranks 90 where as India’s ranking in 131. The value of HDI of China (0.727) is greater than India (i.e.
0.624). The life expectancy at birth is estimated at 64 years for India where as it is 73.5 years
for China.
The stronger human capital of China could be assessed by the fact that educational status of
Chinese society is brighter than that of Indian society. China has almost reached 100%
literacy whereas India’s literacy rate is still lingering at 61 per cent. Students-teacher ratio in
China is more than double of India (40:18). In china primary school dropout is almost nil
where as India’s school dropout rate is highest in the Medium Human Development Index
group countries.
Health Status
Sr. No Indicators India China
1 Per capita expenditure on health in $ 109 233
(2007)
2 Physician per 10000 population 6 14
3 Hospital Beds per 10000 population (2000 – 2009) 5 30
4 HIV Prevalence youth (Male) (% 0.3 0.1
Age 15-24)
5 Infant Mortality
Infant (2008) Per 1000 live birth 52 18
Under 5 Per 1000 live birth 69 21
Adult Female (2008) Per 1000 population 173 84
Adult Male (2008) Per 1000 population 250 140
6 Death Rate for communicable Diseases Population 100000 (2004) 7 6.27
GENDER IN EQUALITY
It is evidently clear from the above discussion that both the countries – India and China have to
develop their human resources to become equal partners of world economic power. China has
proved that the economic dominance of world economic power could be exercised without
democracy but with enhancement of human development indices measured in terms of health,
education, gender equality and equal and equitable distribution of wealth even through non
democratic influences. In this regard we can say that India is rightly adopting the strategy of mixed
economy of course, the obstacles in achieving the target of inclusive growth must be removed
through the means of minimum corruption, strict administration and strong political will which has
already proved by China. So let India and China become equal partners and beat United States of
America and be on Competitive Edge of world economic power.