Since the trade numbers are probably close to correct (they seem to match other, more reliable countries' numbers reasonably well), I suspect that the Red China's GDP is well over the figures that the PRC is putting out.
I noticed that there was another article that mentions that the PRC's GDP numbers are probably understated at Market Watch.
Certainly an economy that can accumulate $1.2 trillion in cash is doing quite well.
We will always regret making Red China wealthy.
China, Russia, and Iran have been getting very cozy in the last decade. China is pouring millions into Iran to supplement their oil dependency. They are also selling arms to Iran as is Russia. These are the new Axis powers, there can be no doubt. Russia will soon build an oil pipeline to China to keep that monster going. Chinese-Russian relations have never been better.
So, why don’t we begin a boycott of Chinese goods? We can, at least, try to put a finger in the damn and who knows, it might take on a life of its own. To borrow a phrase from a Chinese, the journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. No more Chinese food, products and especially toothpaste.
Could be -- it's hard to measure given the difference between what their currency trades for vs. what it actually purchases within the country. But I think they have a relatively weak domestic economy.