China,Russia diverge on paths to revival

Due to different historical traditions, resource endowments, market environments and economic foundations, China and Russia have now embarked on two different paths of development. But having transformed from planned economies into market-based ones, both countries share certain questions in their respective economic and social endeavors. Differences in their economic models are seen in the following aspects: different understanding on the theory and practice of economic reform; disparate initial conditions of economic reform; different paths of transition and institutional arrangements; different macroeconomic policies; and different resource endowments.Both countries share common challenges: a crude pattern of economic growth, unreasonable industrial structures, serious wealth gaps, regional development imbalances, and dependence on foreign trade. Development prospects of both countries depend on institutional adaptability and self-adjustment and repair and whether they can gain a vantage point of science and technology, transform growth patterns, contain unfavorable factors that stand in the way of coordinated economic and social development, integrate into the world economic system, and take the lead in formulating international economic rules.