Partie 10 - LA36 KB articles 1988 98 and cuttings 005 010

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10 Rather, China shows to the people of countries such as India that there is a route out of their exploitation, oppression and misery. And to the peoples of the former Soviet Union that the catastrophe that has descended upon them was utterly unnecessary and avoidable, and therefore criminal. That it has been caused by the renegades and traitors to socialism rather than by any essential or intrinsic failure of the socialist system itself, which is fully capable of reforming, refining and gradually perfecting itself over a period of time. China's economic growth has been an unprecedented event in human history. Quite simply, never before have so many people seen their standard and quality of life increase so dramatically in such a short period of time. Between 1980-1993, China's economic growth averaged 9.4 per cent per annum, moving into double figures in the early 90s. Even today, with the impact of the regional crisis on both inward investment and export competitiveness, growth is being maintained in the region of 7-8 per cent. The Chinese people saw a three-fold increase in their average consumption of meat and eggs between 1978-91. By 1993, 83 per cent of city households had a washing machine. In Shanghai, 98 per cent had a fridge, 92 per cent a colour TV, and 45 per cent a video recorder. In contrast, in the former Soviet Union, by the mid-1990s, total output was less than half of the figure prior to capitalist restoration. In 1992 alone, Russian productivity decreased by 22 per cent. And living standards fell by 50 per cent. The People's Republic of China was founded in 1949, and India achieved independence from British colonialism a little earlier, in 1947. In that year, the two countries had roughly the same per capita income. Indeed, India could be said to have had certain advantages in terms of industrial and social infrastructure. Today, China's per capita income is twice that of India's. According to the 'World Bank Development Report 1997', 52.5 per cent of the Indian population live on less than a dollar a day. The Chinese figure is 29.4. Life expectancy in India is 62. In China it is 69. India's adult illiteracy rate is 48 per cent, while the Chinese figure stands at 19 per cent. The Indian percentage of children under five years suffering from malnutrition is 63. The Chinese figure is 17. India's infant mortality rate per 1,000 births is 68. The Chinese figure is 34.

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