Experience shows that there is a point – usually when per capita income levels reach about $15,000-20,000 (roughly one-third the level in the United States) – when growth tends to slow. In recent decades, only a few economies – notably, South Korea, Taiwan, and Singapore – have managed to escape the so-called “middle-income trap” and continue to increase their prosperity.
但是，对金砖国家来说，持续高速进步可能会日益困难。经验表明，在某一点上——通常是人均收入达到15,000—20,000美元（约为美国水平的三分之一）时——增长开始趋缓。近几十年来，只有少数经济体——特别是韩国、中国台湾和新加坡——成功地摆脱了所谓的“中等收入陷阱”，实现了持续繁荣。