Originally posted by Elfie
No, Hong Kong is. Communist China as a whole is listed separately for a very good reason. Your statement implies that China herself is the world's freest economy.
For some reason I have serious doubts that Hong Kong's economy would be rated this highly is Hong Kong had been under communist rule as long as the rest of China has been.
However it may have happened, the fact remains that Communist China is the home of Hong Kong, the world's freest economy. And has been for 8 straight years.
The separate listing reflects the "two systems" aspect. My statement reflects the "one country" aspect: If I wanted to imply that China was the world's freest economy, I'd simply say "Communist China: the world's freest economy".
Your reading of the statement as implying that China is the world's freest economy is entirely your own perception. It's akin to getting upset about the fact that the average American has only one testicle.
You have to pay attention to the wording, and think about it a bit, and if you got upset at first glance, perhaps wonder what aspect of you made you read the statement as something to get upset about.
If you still have trouble grasping the whole "One country, two systems" concept, you're most likely going to be in over your head on the whole Cross-Straits "One China policy" conundrum. That's far stranger.
