Klaus Rohland, the World Bank’s Country Director for China, Mongolia and Korea in the East Asia and Pacific Region, presented the Report “China 2030: Building a Modern, Harmonious, and Creative High-Income Society“. DIE’s Department Head Peter Wolff and the Chinese participants of the Managing Global Governance10th Global Governance SchoolManaging Global Governance commented and discussed the report.

By any standard, China’s economic performance over the last three decades has been impressive. GDP growth averaged 10 percent a year, and over 500 million people were lifted out of poverty. China is now the world’s largest exporter and manufacturer, and its second largest economy. Even if growth moderates, China is likely to become a high-income economy and the world’s largest economy before 2030, notwithstanding the fact that its per capita income would still be a fraction of the average in advanced economies.

But two questions arise: Can China’s growth rate still be among the highest in the world even if it slows from its current pace? And can it maintain this rapid growth with little disruption to the world, the environment, and the fabric of its own society? These and other questions were addressed during this public event on 29 August 2012.

Programme:

• Welcome
  Peter Wolff
  Head of Department “World Economy and Development Financing”, German Development Institute / Deutsches Institut für Entwicklungspolitik (DIE)
• Presentation:
  Klaus Rohland, World Bank Country Director for China, Mongolia and Korea:
  China 2030: Building a Modern, Harmonious, and Creative High-Income Society

Commentary:

• WEI, Jigang
  Development Research Centre of the State Council
• Peter Wolff
  German Development Institute / Deutsches Institut für Entwicklungspolitik (DIE)

Panel Discussion:

• Peter WolffWolff, Peter (Moderator)
• Klaus Rohland
  World Bank Country Director for China, Mongolia and Korea
• DONG, Zhenyu
  Central Committee, Communist Party of China
• MU, Gengyuan
  China Institute of International Studies
• WEI, Jigang
  Development Research Centre of the State Council

Background:
Klaus Rohland, a German national, is the World Bank’s Country Director for China, Mongolia and Korea in the East Asia and Pacific Region, based in Beijing. Rohland joined the World Bank in 1981 as an advisor to the German Executive Director. Since then, he has held a number of key positions in the World Bank including two other Country Director assignments in Russia and Vietnam. He has been involved in development work in South America, Eastern Europe and Asia, where he managed the World Bank Program in China in the mid-1990s. Rohland graduated from Marburg University in Germany and holds a degree in law and public administration.