Economic Matters Aside, Not All is Peachy in China

One might think that with such impressive economic growth and increasing financial wherewithal, the Chinese would be quite content. According to a survey by the Pew Research Center's Global Attitudes Project published earlier this year, 57% of Chinese polled "believed it would be easy for young people to become wealthier than their parents." Out of the 21 countries surveyed, it was the only one to produce a majority response.

However, findings from a more recent Pew survey [PDF] show that their robust economy aside, the Chinese appear to be increasingly concerned with other matters. Items topping the list include rising prices, government corruption and inequality, with 72 percent, 50 percent and 48 percent of Chinese interviewed respectively citing these as problematic. These figures represent a 9 to 12 percent spike in concern over the last 4 years. It's also noteworthy to point out that stress over the safety of food and medicine surged, seeing 29 percent and 19 percent increases, respectively.