Economia

In recent years, China's rapid economic growth has contributed to severe consumer inflation,[274] causing the prices of basic goods to rise steeply. Food prices in China increased by over21% in the first four months of 2008 alone.[275] To curb inflation and moderate rising property prices, the Chinese government has instituted a number of fiscal regulations andamendments, raising interest rates and imposing limits on bank loans. In September 2011, consumer prices rose by 6.1% compared to a year earlier, marking a reduction in inflation from the peak of6.5% in July 2011.[276] A side-effect of increased economic regulation was a slowdown in overall growth – China's quarterly GDP growth fell to 9.1% in October 2011, down from 9.5% in theprevious quarter,[276] and sank to 8.1% in April 2012.[277] By October 2012, amid a manufacturing slowdown and increasing turmoil in global markets, China's quarterly GDP growth rate hadfallen to 7.4%.[278]
The Chinese economy is highly energy-intensive and inefficient—on average, industrial processes in China between 20% and 100% more energy than similar ones in OECDcountries.[279] China became the world's largest energy consumer in 2010,[280] but still relies on coal to supply about 70% of its energy needs.[281] Coupled with lax environmental regulations,this has led to massive water and air pollution, leaving China with 20 of the world's 30 most polluted cities.[279] Consequently, the government has promised to use more renewable energy,planning to make renewables constitute 30% of China's total energy production by 2050.[282] In 2010, China became the largest wind energy provider in the world, with a total installed windpower capacity of 41.8 GW.[283] In January 2011, Russia began scheduled oil shipments to China, pumping 300,000 barrels of oil per day via the Eastern Siberia – Pacific Ocean oil pipeline