China: The risks of modernization Available to Purchase

China is second only to the Soviet Union and Canada in land area, but its mountains, steep hills, cold plateaus, and deserts greatly limit the amount of arable land. Most of China's natural resources either lie in the interior where no modern transportation is available, or are unexploited because of the lack of capital and technical capability. In recent years the official estimate of oil reserves, both inland and offshore, has been optimistic. Some believe that China's oil reserves almost equal Saudi Arabia's. However, recent explorations involving a number of Western companies in the South China Sea have fallen short of expectations.