China's breakneck economic growth has lifted hundreds of millions of people from poverty and brought a host of new problems, including rising inequality and a looming environmental crisis. Extreme poverty persists, especially in the interior, where an estimated 100 million people live below the poverty line. At the same time, China's newfound wealth and voracious appetite for oil and other raw materials has led the Chinese government and Chinese companies to become increasingly active as development actors in other countries, especially in Africa.
As World Bank country director for China and Mongolia, David Dollar presented a unique perspective on China's achievements and challenges, as well as on the perils and potential of China's growing involvement in other developing countries. Callisto Madavo, visiting professor of African Studies at Georgetown University, served as a discussant and Lawrence MacDonald, director of communications and policy at the Center for Global Development, moderated the event. MacDonald was expelled from China as a reporter covering democracy protests in the mid-1980s and recently returned to Beijing and Shanghai for the first time in 20 years.
Read event transcript (pdf, 180K)
