Signs of China's new wealth (67 images)

Chinese models dressed in fancy wedding gowns and adorned with costume jewelry attend the 2011 China Hair and Beauty Expo in Beijing on June 29, 2011. The models, along with their sponsors, will compete for the 'Best Hair and Beauty" award during the expo. The annual expo provides a platform allowing worldwide beauty and cosmetic manufacturers to introduce their products to buyers in China's massive cosmetic market. UPI/Stephen Shaver

A Chinese woman walks past a high-end housing estate in Beijing on August 12, 2011. In order to meet the demands of the capital's growing rich, developers are rushing to build luxury properties throughout the city. UPI/Stephen Shaver

A Chinese knock-off of the 'Smart' car passes a super-stretched Hummer limousine parked on a street in Beijing on August 1, 2011. Despite China' being the largest and fastest growing automobile market in the world, its domestic car industry makes up only a small fraction of car sales across the country. UPI/Stephen Shaver

A migrant Chinese laborer hauls a large ceramic pot past one of Beijing's new, international fashion plazas, featuring Cartier, on October 10, 2008. For luxury goods manufacturers who can survive counterfeit products, luxury taxes, and consumer education, great rewards await them as China fast approaches becoming the world's largest luxury consumer, according to a recent report. (UPI Photo/Stephen Shaver)