"Greenpeace East Asia official Li Yifang said that the Qiantang River had, in effect, become poisonous because of these actions, even though it provides drinking water for the city of Hangzhou."

Then all the people in Hangzhou should be dead, no? Wait a minute, let me check... not a single death reported, and the Hangzhou Wikipedia page doesn't even mention the word 'pollution'.

Still, who are you going to believe, Greenpeace or the facts?

Graham Cooke believes in a Western New World Order of one unelectable Govt that rules us all.China has their own version of a New World Order without war since they have the power to produce.

Obama and Bush have destroyed our rights by the introduction of the Patriot Act,Preventative Dentention,National Defence Authorisation Act and legalised assassination of suspected terrorists.Are these not the edicts of a fascist state? How are we different from China?

Mr Cook, let me say how sorry I am that your article, which should've attracted a lot of comments because of its importance to the world, didn't while another article which should have been ignored, sucked in 77 comments at last count.

The importance of developments in China cannot be understated and I thank you for bringing them to the attention of OLO readers, those of us who recognize flypaper when we see it.

Cheers.

Readers may also be interested in this piece on Pettis' Financial Blog:

When the Growth Model Changes, Abandon the Correlations

http://www.mpettis.com/2012/10/27/when-the-growth-model-changes-abandon-the-correlations/

It describes the manifold imbalances in the Chinese economy and how they are likely to impact future growth prospects. For serious students of international affairs this is a worthwhile read.

I am in two minds about China. It certainly has the potential to replace the US as global Hegemon; but for a variety of reasons I think it is unlikely to do so.

China may also be the first country in which environmental factors start having a noticeable effect on growth.

For Australia this is a serious matter. It's whole economic paradigm rests on China continuing to grow like gangbusters for at least another decade or two. I fear we are going to be disappointed.

I do wish the ABC would focus more on China, India and Indonesia and less on what are for Australia peripheral areas such as the Middle East or Africa.

Thanks for your comments and I apologise for not replying sooner as I was on assignment in Burma and that country is not the best for internet access.

I would hope that the city of Hangzhou is making some effort to treat the water it takes from the river. Even so, the unrestricted dumping of chemicals can be a long term danger to health of humans, and certainly does not help the the health of the river or the creatures and plants that depend on it.