The Overseas Chinese economy

[Amdir_Flassion]

The Overseas Chinese number 30 million people (outside of Mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan) from 2000 estimates, but what is impressive is their accumulated economic capital - totalling to approximately $450 billion in GDP (?) before the Asian Financial Crisis.

Is this figure correct at this moment? $450 billion for GDP? This is more than some countries:

- Greece: $213.6 billion

- New Zealand: $85.34 billion (CIA World Factbook)

Australia's GDP is $571.4 billion. South Korea is at $857.8 billion. In terms of population, Canada and the Overseas Chinese have roughly the same. But Canada's GDP is double ($958.7 billion) that of the overseas Chinese.

Nonetheless, this is a remarkable achievement for a dispersed diaspora community of which I'm proud to be a part of.

I think future trends of the Overseas Chinese economy are:

- a larger role played by North American, European, Australian and New Zealand OCs as their populations grow. Traditionally, SE Asian Chinese formed the bulk of the OC economy.

- OCs diversifying their capital more across the world with lesser international barriers

- OCs bringing more capital into the "Greater China" regions for investment

- diversifying savings to non-US dollars like euros, as the US dollar continues to weaken

- whilst Chinese restaurants and small business will continue to form a significant portion of the economy, OC entrepreneurs seem to have finally got the message to invent and innovate for themselves, not just copying. So we'll see more innovative Chinese firms in the future

What do u think? Wouldn't it be a good idea to have some economic or financial section in this forum!

[roddy]

Wouldn't it be a good idea to have some economic or financial section in this forum!

Was just thinking that . . .

[woodcutter]

Frankly, given the reputation of the Chinese for business acumen, those figures are not so high. Greece has only 10 million people, and yet over half of the financial clout of the overseas Chinese.