Deng Xiaoping opened up China's economy with the words "To get rich is glorious", and the face of China has changed rapidly ever since. Hand in hand with this change has been an infatuation with the automobile and all it symbolizes: wealth, status, and freedom. "The Cars That Ate China" is an insight into how the advent of the automobile is affecting everyday people's lives, from car washers trying to scrape out a living, to advertising execs and budding tycoons who rely on the car for its images of power and social worth.
—Chinacanuck