Income inequality in China

China's current mainly market economy features a high degree of income inequality. According to the Asian Development Bank Institute, “before China implemented reform and opening-up policies in 1978, its income distribution pattern was characterized as egalitarian in all aspects.”^[1]

A study published in the PNAS estimated that China's Gini coefficient increased from 0.30 to 0.55 between 1980 and 2002.^[2] At this time, the Gini coefficient for rural – urban inequality was only 0.16. As of 2019^[update], the official Gini coefficient in China was 0.465; inequality was at its highest in the 2000s, with numerous sources reporting a significant decline in the 2010s.^[3]

^ Jiang, Shixue (2003). "Third World approach to globalization: comparing Latin America and China". International Latin American Studies Review (5). Tokyo: 123–130.
^ Xie, Yu; Zhou, Xiang (2014). "Income inequality in today's China". Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 111 (19): 6928–6933. Bibcode:2014PNAS..111.6928X. doi:10.1073/pnas.1403158111. PMC 4024912. PMID 24778237.
^ "Just how Dickensian is China?". The Economist. 2 October 2021. ISSN 0013-0613. Retrieved 15 May 2023.

[1] Jiang, Shixue (2003). "Third World approach to globalization: comparing Latin America and China". International Latin American Studies Review (5). Tokyo: 123–130.

[xie-zhou2014-2] Xie, Yu; Zhou, Xiang (2014). "Income inequality in today's China". Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 111 (19): 6928–6933. Bibcode:2014PNAS..111.6928X. doi:10.1073/pnas.1403158111. PMC 4024912. PMID 24778237.

[:0-3] "Just how Dickensian is China?". The Economist. 2 October 2021. ISSN 0013-0613. Retrieved 15 May 2023.

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