Final answer:
The growth of China's economy after 1100 was influenced by lucrative trade via the Silk Roads, where China maintained a favorable trade balance. The economic reforms initiated in the 1970s further propelled China to become an economic superpower.
Step-by-step explanation:
The intensification of trade with Central Asia after 1100 contributed to the growth of China's economy due to the exchange of goods along the Silk Roads. The Chinese domestic economy was very robust, capable of meeting local demands without imports. However, the trade along the Silk Roads was significant, allowing for an exchange of various goods like silk, porcelain, and iron tools for hides, wool, and livestock from Central Asian regions. This trade was beneficial to China's economy as it maintained a favorable trade balance, exporting more than it imported.
Under the leadership of Deng Xiaoping, China began to embrace market-based strategies in the 1970s, leading to the creation of special economic zones (SEZs) and attracting multinational corporations. This Opening of China resulted in economic transformation and rapid growth, with China poised to become the world's largest economy by 2030.
The country's historical manipulation of trade routes, like the Silk Roads, gave China a headstart in becoming a dominant global economic force without the need for external resources, which was evident even during its interactions with Central Asia around 1100.
Leaders in modern China might encourage an association with the historic Silk Roads to draw a parallel between past and present economic successes, illustrating the long-standing tradition of China as a powerful trade empire.