But, also remember that a lot of pollution in China subventions our life-style in the west.

If someone is able to build factories and produce basically any piece of plastic, electronic device or clothing we use, far cheaper than over here, there’s bound to be trade-offs.

These trade-offs concern human rights and the environment.

If we were to, say, halve our consumption of “stuff”, this would have a massive effect on pollution in China.

(But what about the holy growth?! :))

There's no inevitability about economic growth in China and reduction in human rights. That's entirely a political decision. By themselves, economic growth and increasing standards of living provide more opportunities and freedoms.

Environmental impact is trickier, less economically developed nations struggle to contain the environmental impacts of growth due to the costs involved.

There’s no denying they have taken it upon themselves.

I see it as a highly conscious longish term strategy for them, as now they have become a player to count on.

I also believe it’s been stupidly greedy, not to mention short sighted, of us (or “the market”) in the west.

You seem to be implying that moral and ethical considerations doesn’t really exist in our economy, which is exactly what I’m sorta’ trying to get across in my point.

Edit: I wasn’t referring to Chinas growth, I was actually thinking about BNP etc “over here”. And while expanding on the topic - using BNP as a sole metric of success is just such a bad idea.