China is now the dominant force in the world economy - it has almost single-handedly driven global growth and has kept a lid on inflation by reducing production costs.

But it could be time for a rethink. The man who invented the term BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India, China) has said we should temper our expectations for Chinese growth and their dominant exporter position is thanks to some odd categories.

The country exported more than two-thirds of human hair, bird skin and artifical flowers in 2010 and has almost complete control of the umbrella market.

Linda Yueh, Bloomberg TV's economics editor and also a fellow in economics at Oxford, told the Today programme that "China is facing a period of slower growth and this is a structural change from having grown very quickly in the first 30 years."

Get in touch with Today via email , Twitter or Facebook or text us on 84844.