Can the Chinese economy match Aruba’s?

Illustration: Álvaro Bernis

Nov 20th 2025|5 min read

The island of Aruba, off the coast of Venezuela, has a population of just 108,000. Its economy, once dependent on breeding horses, pivoted into sifting gold then refining oil. Now it relies on attracting tourists to its white beaches, 24-hour casinos and daily games of bingo. An island just 32km long would not seem to have many bragging rights over the world’s second-biggest economy. But tiny Aruba has achieved something China’s leaders would dearly love to emulate. It more than doubled its GDP per person in less than 15 years. And it accomplished that feat even after reaching the income per person that China has recently attained.