China News Daily reported on January 16th that Beijing will grow at the rate of 9% over the next 5 years. This is interesting in that the country's growth target is also at 9% and we all know that Beijing and ShangHai grow much faster than the country. Maybe the mayors were low-balling, or trying not to show-off?

Mayor Wang QiShan (王岐山), also stated the GDP per capita goal of $5,400 by 2010. For 2006, China is expected to have just shy of $1,600. If Beijing is growing at 9% annually, its 2006 should be about $3,800. This means Beijing citizens make about 2.4 times more than the country average. Or about 8.6% of what US citizens make.

Put in another way, it takes more than 11 Chinese, in Beijing, to out-earn an average American.