Talk about the economy of a Greater China is premature when the mainland's economy remains highly fragmented as well as over-regulated; and when a looming crisis in public-sector finances could set back development for years.China's harsh, outdated and impracticable political arrangements are no help.
These failed projects have set back development by raising aspirations and then failing to deliver.
Those who witnessed the devastation at the time must have thought this would set back development by decades.
The government has reported that the impact of the tsunami has set back development in the Maldives by two decades.
"Once in a while you get the flood that sets back development 50 years," he said.
Both criticise Israel and the EU for the economic boycott of the West Bank following the success of Hamas in last year's elections - which has increased poverty and set back development.
Emergency responses following an earthquake and recovery of damaged structures have major impact on the government budget, thus setting back economic development.
If SARS takes root in Africa, hitting populations where AIDS has already weakened immune systems, it could exact a devastating death toll and set back economic development for decades.
Shawky heaps enormous attention on these disputes with extensive exposure of the corruption that undermines the political and personal agendas and ambitions of the protagonists, setting back the potential development of true faith for Christian and Muslim a thousand years.
And so he knows, too, about Benedicto's being killed by the despot Idi Amin, a death foretold by some, dreaded by many and seen by experts as a development that set back progress in East Africa for years.
But the earthquake set back the development of the police force, which stands at 10,200 for a population of 10 million, less than half the size it should be, said the police chief, Mario Andresol.
