1st with commodity trade surplus 

1. China 171 (nov 2010)  2. Germany 169 (oct 2010) 3. Russia 116 (oct 2010)

1st with arms sales increase from 2008 to 2009 

From a $544 millions of export to $870 millions. China is now ranked #7 and has now the second largestmilitary expenditure with $98 billion. The US budget is $663 billion. UK, ranking #3 has a $69 billion. As NYT’s journalist Elisabeth Buhmiller wrote on January 8, 2011, “Although Pentagon o¨ cials say that China is a generation or more behind the United States in military technology, Mr. Gates said he has been worried about the Chinese buildup in his four years as defense secretary. And acknowledged that the Pentagon and intelligence agencies had underestimated how quickly the Chinese could act.”

1ST WITH INCREASE OF FOREIGN STUDENTS IN THE US IN 2009

The number of Chinese students in the US increased by 60% in 2009. China is the fi rst country on which US institutions have devoted more resources for recruitment trips (30% of respondents). Source IIENetwork

1ST WITH COUNTERFEIT GOODS

In 2009, China was the country of origin for 64 of the 118 millions products stopped by the European Customs. Source EU

Soon 1ST WITH IMPORTS (IN 2015?) 

In 2008, China’s imports were half of the US’ imports. In October 2010, with +41% compared to 2009, China’s imports are now 72% of US’ imports at $1,122 billion against $1,576 in the US. With Hong Kong’s imports, China equals the USA. Source GTIS

1ST WITH COUNTERFEIT GOODS

In 2009, China was the country of origin for 64 of the 118 millions products stopped by the European Customs. Source EU

1ST WITH TOTAL RESERVES

Valued at $2,650 billion (Sept 2010) Japan has 1,048; Arab League Countries, 969; Russia, 439; The US, 404. Source World Bank With $950 billion held in Sovereign funds, China has 40% of the total international exchange reserves.

Soon 1ST IN WIND ENERGY

Vestas, G.E. and Gamesa, the three worldwide leaders in wind energy are soon to be overwhelmed by Chinese corporations like Sinovel, the biggest Chinese wind turbine maker whose CEO’s declared that he wanted to sell as many turbines overseas as within China. In 2011, Sinovel will be fi rst to be watched as the number one challenger to the industry. When Danish giant Vestas is laying-oò oneeighth of its 24,000-person labor force, Sinovel is backed by more than $13 billion in low-interest loans issued six months ago by Chinese government-owned banks and billions more raised in fi rst public oò erings –mainly by Morgan Stanley– in New York and Hong Kong. The overseer of the Chinese renewable energy publicly exhorted the leaders of the nation’s biggest wind turbine makers at the last China Wind Power conference to be more humble about what 1st means. “You cannot be called a winner if you are the leader for three of fi ve years. You can only stand on the top line if you are the leader for 100 to 200 years.” With no surprise, the US are now threatening China to call on WTO for sanctions against Chinese wind subsidies.

Soon 1ST WITH EDUCATION

According to the report “2009 PISA: Performance of015-Years-Old Students in Reading, Mathematics and Science Literacy”, published in December 2010, Shanghai ranked first in all three categories, with Hong Kong coming second. For the fi rst time, both cities where included in the survey as non OECD educational systems. As countries, South Korea ranked number one followed by Finland, Switzerland, Japan, Canada, The Netherlands, New Zealand, Belgium, Australia and Germany. Good to know. China is making rapid progress, taking Shanghai and Hong Kong as examples of innovation. The main lessons include the government’s abandonment of a system built around “key schools” for a small elite and its development of a more inclusive system in which all students are expected to perform at high levels; greatly raising teacher pay and upgrading teacher standards and teacher education±; reducing the emphasis on rote learning and increasing the emphasis on deep understanding.

1ST YOUNGEST CHECKMATES WORLD CHAMPION

Her name is Hou Yifan and she is, at 16, the new women’s world chess champion and the youngest person, male or female, ever to win a world championship.

Soon 1ST WITH PATENTS (IN 2012)

Currently second, just passing Japan this year, China is aiming at the gold medal with patents, China is aiming at the gold medal with patents, is to reach two millions in 2015. The National Patent Development Strategy (2011-2020) makes it very clear that China wants to be leader in the fi eld, embracing a broader strategy on innovation, not imitation. China recorded less than 15,000 patents ten years ago. China was ranked sixth in the world in 2008 with some 6,100 applications.

1ST WITH EXPORT

With $1,270 billion, China is $200±billion ahead of the US Global Trade atlas.

1ST WITH OLYMPICS GOLD MEDALS

In 2008, China received 51 gold medals, only second to the US at the grand total (100 against 110) Source CIO

1ST WITH FOREIGN PUBLIC DEBTS

China holds 7.3% (630 € billion) of the eurozone public debt (8,860 € billion) and 9,8% (900 US $ billion) of the US public debt. But among non-resident holders of public debt, China has 25% of the eurozone public debt and 21% of the US public debt. Sources PBOC, Financial Times, La Tribune