China to Surpass the US by 2049? · Global Voices
Abby Liu

China is not just competing with the United States, but has also done research on the time it will take to surpass them. According to China's Xinhua news agency, a report released on January 8, 2013, by the Chinese Academy of Sciences says that China is likely to surpass the United States in all areas by 2049, and the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation will be realized. The research comes with a detailed schedule of the potential process.
If Mao were still alive, he would definitely think the process is taking too long. As he mentioned in 1957, he predicted it would take 15 years to catch up with or surpass the UK.
Yang Duogyui, head of the research group, explained [zh] the statement:
我们国家提出“民族伟大复兴”，我个人认为，‘复兴’，就是做当之无愧的世界第一。至于2049年能不能实现，未来几十年中不确定因素很多，我们这个报告是按照当前发展情况不变来分析的。”“‘国家健康’是一个新概念，大家有些异议很正常。
When we say “the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation”, I personally think “rejuvenation” means to be unquestionably number 1 in the world. As to whether it will be realized, there are many uncertain elements in the future. Our report is based on the current conditions of “national health”, which is a new concept; it’s normal for people to have doubts about it.
A screenshot of the report “China to Surpass the US by 2049″ from Youku
He added that the group will continue with the research. Despite his explanation, the statement has been made fun of on Sina Weibo, with netizens urging the real problems in China to be faced. Even Xinhua News Agency wrote on Weibo [zh]:
令人忍不住对照现实….先解决问题，不要动辄谈“超越”，更别轻易说“复兴”。
[The report] forces people to look at the reality… Solve the social problems before talking about “surpassing” and “rejuvenation”.
Veteran journalist Huang Yigang echoed [zh]:
“赶英超美”的梦幻曾经给中国人民带来深重灾难，今天还有一些人利用这个自我陶醉、忽悠百姓，目的无非是掩盖社会矛盾与执政无能.
China’s dream of “surpassing the UK and the US” has brought lots of disasters for Chinese people; today, some people still indulge in this excuse to coax people. The goal is to cover social problems and political incompetence.
A student, Yue, also said [zh]:
中科院最无意义的研究之一！超越美国其本身是毫无意义的！中科院敢不敢研究一下中美房价物价环保医疗养老？！解决这些问题这才是中国发展的最终目的！
This is the most meaningless research by the Chinese Academy of Sciences. Surpassing the US itself is meaningless. Do they dare carry out a comparative research on house prices, the price of goods, the environment, medical care and pensions between the US and China?! Solving these problems is the ultimate goal for China’s development.
News commentator fen wrote [zh]:
50多年前就说要在15年内超英赶美，现在又说要在30年后全面超美，时代变了，弱国心态没变。
Fifty years ago, we said we would surpass the UK and the US within 15 years, now we say we will surpass the US in 30 years. Time has moved on, but the weak country’s mentality is the same.
Online activist Qishi Songzang wrote[zh]:
国力再强，百姓无民主无自由，那也只是一堵镀金的朽墙，我们照样活在1911之前。
Without democracy and freedom, no matter how strong the country is, it would just be a gold-plated rotten wall. We would keep living like we were prior to 1911.
Netizen schumanzou commented [zh] sarcastically:
官员福利，环境恶化早已超越，这还需要再超越吗？
Officials’ social welfare and the deterioration of the environment has surpassed the US, what else do you need to surpass?
Another netizen Zhou Yantao expressed [zh] anxiety over China’s future:
中国会剩下什么？再过20年，中国还有什么？算一笔很简单的帐，目前中国5%的人掌握了中国95%财富，而这5%的人已经移民或者正在办理移民，这意味着，20年后这95%的财富不再是中国人所有，那是，中国还有什么？数亿老人+一片被污染的山川河流+地底下没有资源的土地。是黑是白民众最清楚！
What will be left in China in another 20 years? 5% of the Chinese have mastered 95% of China’s wealth, and that 5% have emigrated or are in the process of emigration, which means that, 20 years from now, 95% of China's wealth will no longer belong to the Chinese. What will be left? Millions of old people, polluted mountains and rivers, and a land with no underground resources. Common people know best!
Famous writer Zhan Hao, with over 200,000 followers on Weibo, analyzed [zh]:
看新闻后边留言，会发现中国人自卑心态多么普遍，这种自卑在中国真正强大后又会变成自大！永远的负能量！
After reading some comments on the news, you will find how inferior Chinese people feel, and when China becomes stronger in a real sense, this inferiority will turn into arrogance, which is always a negative energy.
This post was proofread in English by Georgi McCarthy.