Despite the recent robust growth, there is concern that as China moves up the income ladder that its high level of inequality may be a breeding ground for future instability. We are interested in what the implications of the human capital gaps on the economy and political stability (wending) of one to two decades from now, if any. Are there lessons from the rest of the world—yesterday, today and tomorrow—that can help formulate policy solutions to potential barriers to rapid and sustained growth?
The conference "Will China Fall Into a Middle Income Trap? Growth, Inequality and Future Instability" held at Stanford University on December 6, 2011, sought to answer these questions.
This presentaton was given by Liu Shouying, Deputy Director and Senior Research Fellow in the Department of Rural Economy of the State Council of the People's Republic of China.