ABSTRACT
The administrations of party general secretaries Jiang Zemin (1989–2002) and Hu Jintao (2002–2012) were thoroughly committed to the continuation of economic reforms. For the nation, the economic success was spectacular as China became the world’s second largest economy in 2010 and the largest trading nation in the world in 2013. Its Gross Domestic Product in 2016 made up 14.9 percent ($11.2 trillion) of the global output, which was second only to that of the United States (25 percent, 18.6 trillion). China became the world’s largest exporter of goods in the world in 2009. Data from 2011–2013 show that in the world economy China produced 90.6 percent of all personal computers; 80 percent of all air conditioners; 70.6 percent of all mobile phones; 63 percent of all shoes; 60 percent of all cement; 50 percent of all DVDs; 49.8 percent of all pork products; 48.2 percent of coal; and 43.1 percent of clothing. 1
