the poisoned rice bowl

Goldbugs reckon that asians are buying gold for some reason that's never substantiated, along with a series of conspiracy theories like the one that the Chinese Govt. has more then the declared 1054 tonnes, because 'they're secretly hoarding it'.

Along with this misconception goldbugs allege that China will overtake the USA, a theory so absurd it hardly bears mentioning, but I just thought I'd reel off a few things that are happening in the Middle Kingdom to show how backward the place is.

16,000 dead pigs in the river in Shanghai.
New strain of avian influenza, H7N9.
1,000 dead ducks in another river.
Toxic vegetables.
Watermelons bursting from a surfeit of growth enhancers.
Fetid fish.
2008 mass poisoning of of Chinese babies with tainted milk powder.
1 million Chinese die prematurely each year from air pollution.
Oranges dosed with orange dye.
Local officials paid off to ignore defects in Shandong apples.

Social tensions are reported to be proliferating and according to one real estate millionaire, "all my friends have escape plans".
More likely China will split apart, a la Bosnia, because of not only the above, but ethnic tensions, corruption, and of course everyone knows what finally happens to communism.

China will overtake the USA, lol.