Header Image: Train driving through the capital of Beijing CC Captcha
History of Infrastructure:
Much of contemporary China's transport systems have been built since the establishment of the People's Republic in 1949 by Mao Zedong. When Mao came to power in 1949, China was many years behind the industrial nations of the world. Determined to change this fact, Mao turned to Russia, a fellow communist state. On an international level, Mao’s China had the same status as Stalin's Russia. Communism was feared throughout the western world and here was the world’s most populated nation turning to communism. The only country who would want a treaty with China was the Soviet Union. In December 1949, Mao met Stalin in Moscow to sign the Treaty of Friendship, Alliance and Mutual Assistance. This treaty gave China money as well as assistance to modernize her industry. Influenced by the Russian engineers, and also by the success of Stalin’s Five Year Plans, China introduced her first own Five Year Plan in 1953 ("Mao Zedong"). These five year plans are lists of goals and aspirations set forth by the government, intended to contribute to the continual growth of the country's economy and overall prosperity. Though China's first Five Year Plan of 1953 dealt primarily with the rebuilding of China after its fight in the Korean War, as well as development of agriculture and other resources, the next Five Year Plans would continue to drive China to continual economic growth and prosperity ("China and the First Five Year Plan"). The Five Year Plans are still enacted today, for this year China celebrates its Thirteenth Five Year Plan. For more information on China's first Five Year Plan, please watch the below youtube video
Video outlining Mao Zedong's First Five Year Plan for the Republic of China
"Substantial investments in roads, railways, and other kinds of economic infrastructure have been integral to the Chinese growth story, and seem likely to continue to be so as China seeks to become less reliant on exports, and more reliant on the domestic market ("Infrastructure in China").
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China's first Five Year plan compared to the thirteenth. Outlined in each are the goals/objectives to be accomplished for the next five years
Development and Change of Infrastructure:
After the death of Mao Zedong in 1976, Deng Xiaoping assumed leadership of the People's Republic of China. Though a communist, he abandoned many orthodox communist doctrines and attempted to incorporate elements of the free-enterprise system and other reforms into the Chinese economy. With Deng Xiaoping, China pursued a policy of gradual transition to a market-based economy, based upon external trade of China's resources and, in particular, exportation of Chinese goods. Transitioning to such an export-driven economy required the development of an infrastructure system that could transport the goods. The exportation of goods stimulated China's economy for years. It was not until the worldwide economic crisis of 2008 that China noticed its first dowturn in its economic sector. Determined to not let the worldwide crisis ruin their economy, China instead turned to "a massive stimulus package of 585 billion USD to support the domestic economy during the global downturn and the consequent decrease in export-driven sectors ("China Under Deng Xiaoping's Leadership")." Close to half of this amount would go towards public infrastructure projects. These domestic projects would provide Chinese citizens with the necessary work and projects to boost their economy. So, while it can be said that China's massive exportation industry led to the development of an infrastructure system equipped to transport such goods, the opposite was also quite true, as shown in the year 2008. The worldwide economic crisis of 2008 proved that infrastructure was not only a means to transport goods from place to place. Instead, infrastructure was a way to save a country's economy ("Infrastructure in China").
Sources:
Images-
http://cpcchina.chinadaily.com.cn/2011-12/14/content_14266768_17.htm
http://chineseposters.net/themes/first-five-year-plan.php
http://www.kwm.com/en/au/knowledge/insights/china-13th-5-year-plan-key-points-summary-new-normal-innovation-20160414
Writing-
https://www.kpmg.com/CN/en/IssuesAndInsights/ArticlesPublications/documents/Infrastructure-in-China-201302.pdf
http://www.eastasiaforum.org/2011/09/27/china-under-deng-xiaopings-leadership/
http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/modern-world-history-1918-to-1980/china-1900-to-1976/china-and-the-first-five-year-plan/
http://www.history.com/topics/cold-war/mao-zedong
Images-
http://cpcchina.chinadaily.com.cn/2011-12/14/content_14266768_17.htm
http://chineseposters.net/themes/first-five-year-plan.php
http://www.kwm.com/en/au/knowledge/insights/china-13th-5-year-plan-key-points-summary-new-normal-innovation-20160414
Writing-
https://www.kpmg.com/CN/en/IssuesAndInsights/ArticlesPublications/documents/Infrastructure-in-China-201302.pdf
http://www.eastasiaforum.org/2011/09/27/china-under-deng-xiaopings-leadership/
http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/modern-world-history-1918-to-1980/china-1900-to-1976/china-and-the-first-five-year-plan/
http://www.history.com/topics/cold-war/mao-zedong