Reply #2: You're right. I think you'd have to call it some middle-range country. Per capita GDP is $7,500

[pampango]

compared to our $45,000 and the EU's $32,000, so they've got a ways to go to be "developed". They are far enough above where they started ($250 per capita GDP in 1980) that they can afford to adopt environmental standards as strict as ours at the least.

Germany does out-export us with 1/4 of our population, higher manufacturing wages (strong unions) and stricter environmental standards. China can afford more rights for labor and stricter environmental laws.