For years now all the talk has been on the huge growth occurring in China. The 2008 games were to bring about a revitalization of the once highly sought after jewel in the Far East. As we take look at the calender today, the Olympic Games are just around the corner.

Has China lived up to its hype?

It is one thing to hear different companies and plans on the growth, but what really count are the actual results. My fascination really excelled while following John Chow in his journey throughout China. Throughout his video diaries, it really seemed as though China was a city of the future. The only things missing were flying cars, although they came pretty close.

Nowadays almost everywhere you go, you are surrounded by skyscrapers. When darkness looms, suddenly it feels like

You can look in four directions as far as the eye can see, and you see nothing but spectacular high-rises. At night it looks like Las Vegas: All the buildings are lit up; they look like rocket ships going off. It looks like the Fourth of July. - Paul Elliott

Almost every major corporation has some fancy looking operation, and each building alone is worth sightseeing. The amount of affluence that goes into every product is impossible to miss, but we still shouldn’t forget about the poverty that still plagues the majority of citizens. Although unless you live there, then it really doesn’t poise a problem to the average foreigner (sounds kind of cruel doesn’t???).

Looking Past the Summer Games.

On the other hand, we cannot get too excited yet. Just like in every market, short-term growth is exactly that, SHORT-TERM and China’s Government still keeps a close eye on many aspects of its day to day living. How long could this huge growth be sustained. Especially when the average citizen barely makes enough to consume the luxuries they have been producing.

However…

If these AMAZING plans for the future of Shanghai are anywhere near accurate, then WOW!

What do you make of China’s growth present and future?

image source - Flickr