I don't buy your definition of need and luxury, but I agree that words like 'need', 'desire', and 'want' should be defined a bit more clearly. Yeah, my use of the word 'need' is perhaps a bit vague, but these words are used in a vague sense all the time.
Let's just say that working to produce things you can't afford to buy annoys a lot of people.
I think the discussion has started off topic in that it's about materialism - consumerist-materialism, anyway - in China specifically and the discussion (that I guess I veered off into) is about the consumerist-materialist impulse in China specifically.
If you want to discuss the subject in general terms, by all means start a thread, I'll be happy to kick in my point of view.


China to phase out fossil fuel cars, boost domestic electric vehicle industry
发布者Yeah, states have goals like that.
China to phase out fossil fuel cars, boost domestic electric vehicle industry
发布者Different people and organizations have different goals.
China to phase out fossil fuel cars, boost domestic electric vehicle industry
发布者@Geezer: "Is the goal clean air or is the goal to dominate automobile production?"
Whose goal?
China to phase out fossil fuel cars, boost domestic electric vehicle industry
发布者Hmmm - complicated - we can screw ourselves in so many ways. Probably best to stick to bicycles and public transportation.
China to phase out fossil fuel cars, boost domestic electric vehicle industry
发布者Right direction, long road.