By Rong Jiaojiao

    BEIJING, Dec. 10 (Xinhua) -- Vivian Wang snaps the cap on her fancy French pen that's named after a mountain, she turns off her American-made laptop that's named after a fruit.

    After powdering her nose with Japanese cosmetics, known worldwide by just two letters of the alphabet, she leaves her multinational advertising company for a late-night drive home in her German-made car that's known globally by just three letters that symbolize prestige and quality.

    She crawls into bed made up with Indian cotton sheets and sends a good night text message to her boyfriend on her Finnish phone.

    In her night's revere she recalls her friends teasing her about being a true representative -- in taste and style as least, of the United Nations. Ms U.N. they call her.

    Within two minutes she's asleep dreaming of the phrase, "But I'm 100 percent Chinese made."

    As China's blazing economic growth continues to grab international headlines, the world's fastest-growing country isn't only racing headlong toward the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Economic growth and its compounding set of ever expanding opportunities are busting stereotypes, modernizing lifestyles and letting vast numbers of people chase their dreams.

    Millions of well-educated, sharp, successful people are on fast track careers. They are energized and ready and able to compete at the highest levels.

    Many observers believe this new chapter in professional and personal fulfillment began on Dec. 11, 2001, the day China gained entry into the World Trade Organization (WTO).

    The changes are everywhere. Imported cars are cheaper thanks to a one-third drop in the average tariffs. A generation ago employers provided cheaply built, dingy housing but now apartments commanding expansive views of the city. For many, overseas travel is annual event rather than a pipedream. Consumers push overflowing shopping carts in WalMarts, top up their energy at a Starbucks, chow down at a Mcdonald's or dine at a fancy French restaurant.

    It all adds up to a total trade volume that will likely reach well above 1.7 trillion U.S. dollars by the end of the year. While China's trade surplus has been subject of much criticism and consternation overseas the country's consumption of imports is also huge and growing fast. The country is expected to import goods worth almost 800 billion U.S. dollars this year, barely 15 percent lower than all its exports.

    "WTO accession has marked a new era of China's opening-up to the rest of the world and integration into economic globalization," said Long Yongtu, China's chief representative at negotiations on the country's WTO accession.

    "The past five years have seen China change from limited opening-up in limited regions and fields to an all-round, multi-level and much broader openness. It has also changed from a political document-guided opening-up to a guaranteed opened system under a legal framework," said Long, who is now the secretary-general of Bo'ao Asia Forum, a much respected think-tank that brings together retired and former leaders to discuss economic and social issues.

    "All of this has been created by a more open mentality adopted by the government that values transparency and efficiency," he said.

    For years, China was administered by "red-head documents", formal official decrees that went into effect without giving the public reasonable opportunity to comment, said Long Guoqiang of the Development Research Center (DRC) of State Council. He says the past practice brought a lot of complaints from foreign investors.

    From the end of 1999 to 2005, the central government passed, adjusted or abolished more than 2,000 laws and regulations. The legislative changes required some tough slogging as some of them challenged long-held ideology but they were necessary to meet China's commitments to the WTO. The new laws and regulations have fundamentally changed the way the country conducts business.

    One of those laws was the awkwardly translated Administrative Permission Law which came into effect on July 1, 2004. It "greatly improved the transparency on policies of trade, investment and other related sectors. It put good governance and a legal framework in place, and in turn consolidated the confidence of foreign investors," said Long Guoqiang, deputy director of the Department of International Economy of DRC.

    "The market economy is not a freewheeling economy, but a legal, systematic one based on credentials," he said.

    A more transparent government, a booming economy and a more open environment, have also widened the eyes of citizens, Long Guoqiang said.

    "People's incomes are increasing and the things they could onlyonce dream about buying they can now afford," said Shan Zhongdong, director of the Institute of the Chinese Economy and WTO studies at Beijing University.

    "They now have so many choices of products, services and prices, there is greater democratic and legal awareness knowing they can get it better, more efficiently and more fairly," he said.

    More than 2,000 public hearings have taken place across the nation by the end of 2005 on wide range of topics from education fees, air ticket prices to income tax thresholds.

    "The hearing system has worked for the public good. People observe with their own eyes the administration and legislation process move from the backstage, or even from under the table, to front and center," said Long Guoqiang.

    Long says collecting public opinions has paid off by formulating better local statutes and regulations and making government administration more transparent.

    Domestic companies have also been motivated by a hard shove into the new reality. A combination of regulatory changes in governance and the flood of foreign products means Chinese companies are being challenged to go ahead to head with global competitors without being sheltered by protective government polices.

    "The best protection is opening-up," said Long Yongtu. "Only by sharpening our own competitiveness through technical innovation, better quality products and market exploration can we adapted ourselves to the WTO rules and make important steps toward a mature market economy. "

    Five years of practice has proved that Chinese companies have not been swallowed by "wolves" as critics of WTO ascension predicted would happen. Chinese entrepreneurs have instead learned to "dance with the wolves" and in a nice manner.

    "Since China joined the WTO, its exports have grown at an average rate of 29 percent per year, Now China is a very large player in the world market," said David Dollar, the World Bank's director for China.

    "Opening-up is not terrible, but bad preparation is," said LongYongtu. "China should open further and not only to just honor its promises to the WTO, but in our own self interests."

    The gates to China are about to open a lot wider in a number of important sectors.

    On Dec. 11, restrictions will be lifted on Renminbi and foreign-currency transactions conducted by banks that are solely foreign-funded or Sino-overseas joint ventures.

    China is also opening its insurance sector to foreign competition with foreign investors being able to set up their own insurance agencies, including insurance brokerages, notaries and appraisal businesses beginning at the first of the New Year.

    Along with honoring its commitments to the WTO, China should also shoulder its responsibility as a reliable nation, said Dr. Liu Guangxi, vice president of China Research Association of WTO Law.

    "China should use bilateral and multilateral discussion mechanisms to handle its economic and trade relations or disputes with other nations. China should be involved in setting international economic and trade rules instead of having to accept these rules in a passive manner," Liu said.

    An attempt to look forward into China's economic future brings us back to the oft-teased Ms United Nations, Vivian Wang. The negotiations, politic ins and outs, legislative reforms, unfathomable huge trade figures don't much matter to her busy personal and professional life. Like people around the world, she just wants good products that function, last and provide value. She's not buying them because they are imported or because she's westernized. "They are really good quality that make my life easier, " said Wang, unintentionally sending an ominous message to the world's business elites. "If one day, China can design and manufacture even better products, I will definitely buy them with pride," she said.

    (EDITOR'S NOTE: This feature story is provided by China Features, the sole news service on the Chinese mainland offering by-lined feature stories, news analyses and opinion pieces in English, along with photos, about latest major events in China. Media organizations which want to commission China Features writers to do reports on China can send emails to chinafeatures@gmail.com or fax your requests to 86-10-63073673.)