The London Observer’s Jason Burke has spent a lot of time in China recently, between the earthquake and the Olympics, and he lists 10 things he “learnt” about the country. Here’s number three:

3. In China there is a general confidence in the future that does not exist in Europe or the USA. Hundreds of millions of people are convinced that life is better for them than for their parents and will be better still for their children. This confidence underpins their very lucid view of the Chinese position in the world - as one of the globe’s paramount nations/civilisations that has lost ground over a couple of centuries for a variety of internal and external factors and is now back on the road to regaining its rightful place as a superpower.

Take the link for the entire interesting list.