Xinhui, thanks for the suggestion, and I'll take the hint. By the way, FA.org's paywall seems to be down for the moment; perhaps for Christmas? Or are their new articles always free?
Recalculating China's GDP | Clipping the dragon's wings | Economist.com
If I recall, dollar per day is calculated as PPP dollar per day. I agree that no one's standard of living has actually changed, but the
known amount of poverty has increased.
Zraver: have you read Michael Pillsbury's "China Debates the Security Environment"
CHINA DEBATES the FUTURE SECURITY ENVIRONMENT
Note the conspicuous absence of China as America's competitor; from the book, it seems China is planning for a multipolar world, not for switching of superpowers.