South China’s tropical island province of Hainan is determined to reinvent itself an essential destination for tourists from around the world. Although it’s not as well known as the islands and beaches of nearby Thailand and the Philippines, the Hainan boasts several world-class resorts. And now, it’s hoping to make traveling there a world-class experience as well. BON’s Susan Tart on what the provincial government is doing to attract more tourists.

WUHAN CONFLICT
OIL SHORTAGE PREDICTION
ARE CHINESE CITIES HABITABLE
LEGAL GRAVE ROBBING
LABOR COURT?

As we reported earlier this week, Japan narrowly retained its lead over China last year as the world's second-largest economy behind the U.S., buoyed by recovering exports and rising consumer spending. Data released by Japan's Cabinet Office showed the country's inflation-adjusted gross domestic product grew at 1.1% in the fourth quarter and 4.6% on an annualized basis, beating analysts' expectations.

Japan's GDP last year totaled $5.09 trillion compared with China's $4.91 trillion. Economists said Japan's data suggest that a "strong cyclical recovery" is underway and a "spiral shrinking of Japan's nominal economy has come to a halt.” But despite the recovery, analysts still expect China’s GDP to surpass Japan, taking over the number two spot by the end of this year.

Last year China posted strong GDP growth of 8.7% while other nations were posting much smaller gains. China also overtook Germany last year as the world's largest exporter and the U.S. as the largest auto market in the world.

Japan and the United States have committed to building an "unshakeable U.S.-Japan Alliance." The intention declared last week marks the 50th anniversary of the signing of the current Japan-U.S. security pact. U.S.-Japanese relations have been greatly affected by the Democratic Party of Japan's landslide victory in the Lower House last year. In addition, issues such as US military bases have never strayed too far from the headlines.

But of the non-superpower, developed nations, Japan is very important to China. Aside from a geographical proximity, the two nations share historical and cultural ties. Also factored in is China's perception of Japan as a possible resurgent threat and Japan's close relations with the United States since the end of World War II.

16 August 2010, Japan released it’s second quarter’s GDP data. Japan's second-quarter unadjusted GDP totaled $1.2883 trillion on a nominal dollar basis, against China's second-quarter unadjusted GDP of $1.3369 trillion. This underscored expectations that China will overtake Japan as the world's second-largest economy this year. For the past two weeks, the line that “China will overtake or has overtaken Japan to become the world’s second largest economy” has made media headlines worldwide. Statistics may have made China the world’s second biggest economy, but what is people’s life like in China? BON’s Hattie Zhao has her report.

For the fourth time, China is hosting the Miss Bikini International World Final. BON's Tony Zhou reports on the pageant in the southern province of Hainan.

Some recent financial data has caused a certain amount of excitement over the current state of China's economy. And it's not just in China where people have been taking note. Those in the US could also be eyeing China's growth nervously.

Move over Japan. Here comes China. The most populous country in the world is on course to overtake Japan this year as the world's second largest economy. According to preliminary figures, China's GDP in 2009 reached four point nine trillion dollars, up nearly 9 percent year-on-year. Even though Japan's GDP figure won't be released until next month, the outlook for China seems promising.

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