As we celebrate the closing of 2009, and the first decade of the 2000s we’re not only looking back at the events of the previous year, but also looking forward to see what might be happening in the year to come. China is a rising power and a hotbed of media attention. But in addition to rising economic indicators and standard of living, there’s also rising house prices and growing numbers of discontented job seekers. Will China really be running things in 2010? Is 2010 the beginning of the Chinese century? Will homegrown problems hold the country back? What do you see for yourself in the coming year – will your career “finally” take off? Will you start your own business? Will you be leaving China and never coming back? As always when faced with a tough question… we asked you:

What are your hopes and predictions for China 2010? 

Photo: bark

Perspectives seeks to promote dialogue and cross-cultural understanding by featuring Chinese and foreign responses to a single question. Email us to be added to our weekly question mailing list or to suggest questions of your own and feel free to add your perspective in the comments section below.

My prediction is that 2010 will be a big year for China-Africa news. It’s a situation that’s been brewing for a while but aside from stories buried in some major publications it hasn’t really broken into the limelight yet. I predict that some sort of big incident will occur that will make this a pressing issue and force China to take a more assertive stance on something happening outside their borders.
R / UK

Not so many Chinese will want to study abroad. It’s so hard to get visas and too expensive! China’s universities are very good and Chinese are starting to realize foreign countries are not welcoming. Better to study hard in China than waste time and money on visa and tuition overseas.
V / China

I think the number of foreigners learning Mandarin will go down as more and more people realize how hard and useless it is. Hopefully a corresponding effect will be language schools and universities that got rich pretending to teach Chinese will go bankrupt and their owners will have to get real jobs to keep themselves out of debtor’s prisons.
H / New Zealand

China will amaze visitors to Beijing with their masterful handling of the 2008 Olympics and its glorious opening ceremony…playing over and over and over on every form of public transportation in the city.
M / UK

More sensitivity and hurt feelings. Just like any person who was teased in school and grows up to be bigger than everyone else, China will continue to get revenge by doing only what they want to.
K / Italy

I’m going to finally get a job that is not teaching English. Yup, it’s gonna happen. I’m also going to not spend all my money on chuanr, Tsingtao and questionable “massages.” I know I said this last year too but in 2010 it’s gonna happen for real, wait for it.
L / US

Young people will be unhappy because they can’t find a good job after graduation. There will need to be more jobs with higher income. Cost of living in big cities will be so much.
W / China

Which way it’ll go I don’t know but China either a lot more business will try to do successful mergers with Chinese corporations or almost none will. Rio Tinto and the problems with Google and departure of Kaifu Lee scared a lot of people in the business community. I think 2010 will be the year China makes a decision on whether it wants to be part of the international business community or wants to operate completely on its own terms. No matter how strong a country, you can only blow so many multi-billion dollar deals at the last minute and still have people lining up for more.
C / US

The world will finally know China is the superpower.
X / China

For China, 2010 will be the year of non-events. Expo will come and go without notice. No one will hear or care about the Asian Games. Visa rumors will throw foreigners into a tizzy and more of the smart entrepreneurs will take the money and run ala Kai-En. Other than that, more of the same: warm beer, cold women looking for visas or live-in English lessons, and just as many folks wearing their PJs on the Shanghai streets.
R / Ireland

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Related Links

Online Poll: How Chinese View Next Year's Economy
Year in Review: Top China News 2009
Netizens Pick Top 10 Challenges Facing China in the Next Decade

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