China Passes Japan as No. 2 (or Will Soon)

Not everyone agrees on economic milestone
By John Johnson,  Newser Staff
Suggested by ShenzhenJeff
Posted Jul 3, 2010 11:55 AM CDT
China Passes Japan as No. 2 (or Will Soon)
A Chinese clerk counts U.S. dollars in exchange for the Chinese renminbi at a bank in central China's Anhui province.   (AP Photo)

The US is the world's No. 1 economy, but who's No. 2? It depends who you ask. In the English-language version of the People's Daily Online, China declares that its newly revised GDP puts it in second place over Japan. But a slew of other observers, including the Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, and MoneyControl say Beijing remains in third (barely) based on IMF exchange rates. Though even if they're right, it's just a matter of time.

"Close, but no cigar," writes Andrew Batson at the Journal. "China is still likely to have to wait until the end of 2010 to pass this symbolic milestone." (More China stories.)

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