GDP was only 67.9 billion yuan. In 12. THE WIDENING OF 1998, the figure soared to 7. 94 trillion COLLEGE ENROLLMENT Second, the Chinese government, count ing on education to be another force to As can be seen from the charts significantly further its economy, has Chinas higher education, with the rapic made a series of preferential policies to growth of its GDP gross domestic quicken the development of higher educa tion. One of the measures taken, for ex loping very There were only about 110 thousand col ample, is the widening of college recruit ment starting from 1999 lege students when New China was born in 1949, while the number hit 3. 5 million Seeing the education boost today 50 years later in 1998. And what im have every reason to look forward to a still brighter future for Chinas higher educa presses us most is the college recruitment tion. I'm sure China will continue to in- of1999 56 million, which is 44%6 crease college enrollment in the years to higher than that of the previous year come 1. 08 million in 1998 veral factors contribute to the booming of Chinas high First, China's rapid economic develop ment lays the base. In 1952, China 8