Recent years have seen China pursue aggressive business-orientated growth. But corruption is rampant and the country highly politicised in terms of personal connections.

This creates a number of practical difficulties for doing business, and also influences how wealth is spread through society.

Does one still have to belong to the Party to be successful?

Business Daily

Politics and business is a heady mix and at its worst can lead to bribery and corruption. Lesley Curwen visits Shanghai to gain an insight into the sensitive relationships between companies and Communist Party officials.

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Members of China's middle class talk about the growing cost of schools, medical care and pensions and how this changes are affecting their ability to spend and save.

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Visit China's richest village, where locals, once poor farmers, have made their fortunes starting up factories. Is this a socialist utopia or a environmental nightmare?

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Global Business

Peter Day talks to investment banker Dr Hong Chen of the Hina Group, and gets an insight in to an important aspect of Chinese business.

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The Interview

Carrie Gracie talks to Gao Xiqing, a western-educated lawyer who has been in the frontline of China's extraordinary economic rise.

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