THE Chinese economy is booming. It doubled in size between 1980 and 1988 and is expected to double again before the end of the century.
Reform and opening to the outside world, planned by Deng Xiaoping 15 years ago, have been the two main engines driving the economic growth.
Results of the open policy are tangible and ubiquitous.
Tens of thousands of consumer products, bearing foreign brand names but made by Sino-foreign joint ventures, stock stores across the country. Wella shampoo, Nike shoes, Heinz baby food, Coca-Cola, Hitachi colour television sets, Philips' stereos, Raleigh bicycles - the list is almost endless.
Overseas investment has brought cars, passenger aircraft, digital telephone exchanges, hotels, shopping malls, residential housing and highways.
Chinese Finance Minister Liu Zhongli pledged this week to speed up plans to reform the economy.
