It's the end of the world as you know it. Do you feel fine?

They hope they will increase oil consumption by no more than 50%. Thank God there's no such thing as peak oil or global warming for that matter.

I think the Chinese people have just as much right to car ownership as do Americans and that some day they will achieve their goal. My hope is that by then,cars will run on battery power charged by renewable energy feed into the grid system by wind turbines. Americans are burning up 25% of the world's oil every day and it is time that we look for some other way to run our cars. For all I know, the Chinese might come up with an excellent battery car which they could place on the international market for us to purchase.

Right now, China is supplying Wal Mart with about 80% of its products. An extension into the high mpg and PHEV car market would be welcome since GM and Ford seem disinterested.

[email protected]

Paul H -

Pres. Bush is not responsible for the fact that China is an emerging economic power. As elsewhere, that goes hand in hand with sharp increases in transportation and fuel consumption. Besides, as consumers we welcome the lower prices of Chinese goods.

The above press release suggests the Chinese are hoping to achieve a 67% increase in vehicle ownership by 2010 with just a 50% increase in fuel consumption. Since the cars already on the road will not improve, this target actually implies that all those new cars would have to have 1-50/67 = 25% better fuel economy than the models sold in previous years!

If that seems high, consider that the Chinese government has direct control everything, including car loans. Apparently, ordinary citizens will simply not be given the option of purchasing a gas hog. That will be the privilege of tycoons and upper-tier apparatchiks, but those don't add up to large numbers.

Of course, China is the largest but far from the only rapidly emerging economy. The developed world, above all the US, relies on globalization for it future wealth. Unfettered consumption of fossil fuels not only increases the risk of military conflicts over those in short supply but also an increasing rate of climate change. It will not be possible nor desireable to sustain the American way of life in its present form indefinitely.

That is why US politicians should encourage a trend away from gas hogs and toward fuel-sipping smaller cars, diesels and hybrids. GM, Ford and DCX already sell appropriate models in Europe and elsewhere, they need only bring them to the US. The sticking point is that they could not possibly turn a profit making those under the current UAW labor contracts. 2007 will be a watershed year in the US auto industry - either way.

Ruaraidh -

somwhow I doubt the Chinese base their energy policies on what GW does or does not say. More likely, the price of oil is just very high from their perspective. They clearly don't perceive oil as their birthright the way some (by no means all!) Americans appear to.

Students in public higher institutions of learning have expressed discontent over the new student’ s loan scheme yet to commence.