Freezing winter morning though it was, Zhang Jian, a taxi driver in Beijing, was waiting patiently at the entrance to a supermarket for its opening. There was a smile on his face.

He had good reason to smile - after a year of hard work, he had another 20,000 yuan (US$2,409) in his bankbook, not bad for a taxi-driver.

For Zhang and many other people like him, the year 2000 has brought shining rewards: Their wallets have swollen as the nation's gross domestic product increased 0.9 percentage points to 8 percent for the year, one of the highest economic growth rates in the world.

And it may well be better in 2001, say economic experts.

Their optimism is well-grounded: 2001 sees the start of the 10th Five-Year Plan period (2001-05), during which the State will continue its pro-active fiscal measures to stimulate the economy and to completely shake off the impact of the Asian financial crisis.

The State is expected to spare no efforts to tap the enormous export potential and to stimulate domestic demand.

Also, as the country's reforms deepen, economic restructuring will accelerate and infrastructure, technology, the environment and education have all been improved, making people's lives better.

Will we see a better life in the new year? People believe so. They pin their hopes on China's entry into the World Trade Organization, which is very likely to happen this year.

With the country's entry into the world arena, people hope the remnants of the old planned economy will gradually fall away, giving way to the forces of the free market. More importantly, under the impact of globalization, the hard core of the State monopoly system should gradually dissolve.

It may be painful, but China will have no chance to turn back, for globalization is a one-way street - once we get involved, we have to abide by the rules of the international game.

The year 2001 not only marks the ending of an era, it also opens the door on a new age of opportunity.

(Xinhua 01/02/2000)