China's progress a catalyst for new start, experts say

Former British lawmaker George Galloway recalled seeing metal so thin during a visit to a Chinese steel plant that it could be torn by hand.

For him, it illustrated a transformation deserving closer attention: China is no longer simply supplying the world with T-shirts and toys, but increasingly with advanced technology.

Galloway said China's progress offers lessons for other economies. What some portray as a danger is "the threat of a good example", he said in an interview during his recent visit to Beijing.

China's industrial advances are giving other economies access to more affordable technology, new markets and opportunities to develop their own industries, political figures and scholars told China Daily.

The term "China shock" is associated with research on job losses and slow adjustment in US communities exposed to rising imports from China. The label "China shock 2.0" is now used in debates over competition from Chinese exports in industries such as electric vehicles and solar energy.

Several of the figures interviewed acknowledged that established industries outside China faced adjustment pressures. But they argued that viewing China's advances primarily as a threat risked overlooking the products, expertise and partnerships that could help other economies become more competitive.