Statistical Issues: Forecasting World Output: the Rising Importance of Emerging Asia -- Macroeconomic Developments in China: The Statistical Challenges -- Technical Efficiency and Governance: The Case of China -- Demographic Changes, Urbanization and Household Savings: Demographic Trends and Sustainability of the Old-Age Security System in China -- Urban and Rural Household Savings in China: Determinants and Policy Implications -- Saving Rates of Urban Households in China -- The "China Effect" on EU Exports to OECD Markets - A Focus on Italy -- The Sophistication of China's Exports, Imports and Intermediate Products -- Environmental Goods Trade and Technology in China: The Emergence of the Chinese High-Income Class and Its Global Relevance -- Trends in Private Consumption in China -- Are Firms Exporting to China and India Different from Other Exports.

This book takes readers on a unique journey across some of the most debated implications of the rise of the Chinese economy on the global scene. From the analysis, suggestions emerge on how to improve statistical tools to measure performance and to obtain more precise macroeconomic forecasts. Moreover, it confirms the suspicion that a governance model of firms that does not sufficiently encourage market competition may have significant costs in terms of efficiency for the Chinese production system. The analysis of demographic factors and of household savings gives further support to calls for a serious reform effort, particularly of the pension and health care systems, to utilize households’ savings more efficiently and equitably. Finally the analyses of Chinese and global trade underscore the need for a less superficial consideration of the implications of the Chinese presence in global markets.