Above, is a quote I heard on NPR, explaining the current macroeconomic situation between China and the U.S. I rather thought its simplicity was beautiful, and yet explains it better than many much more complicated accounts. And I realize it doesn't mean that China is rich — all that money is really in the hands of the narrow elite that runs things in China, and specifically in its huge reserve of foreign exchange held by the government. So it will require changes in policy on the part of China's government to "free up" that money to aid in the recovery from the current economic crisis.