The decentalized china of the 90s and 2000s is gone.
Xi is now running it like a tin pot highly centralized dictatorship. He makes all the decisions and everyone just follows his orders. Anyone who questions him is out. End result. He surrounds himself with yes men who do nothing more then feed his ego and abide by his bidding.
does chinas economy immediately fall apart? Nope. Despite the medias claims of chinas economy being on the brink it simply isnt true. China has built up tremendous foreign reserves and enforces strict foreign capital flows. The country isnt going to find itself bankrup for at least many decades even with Xis complete economic mismanagement. Yes it might have some lehmann style financial hiccups. But this will be rectified because china has so much wealth it can move around to plug up holes.
was in Beijing two weeks ago and two very obvious things struck me from the people willing to talk (and this group of people willing to talk has dwindled significantly over the past 4 years).
One. Everyone with wealth and a good education is trying to flee china and move to the West. They see that Xi Will gradually take China back down the horrifying Mao path. It just will take time to get there.
Two. Xi wants to go to war with Taiwan and he wants to do it soon so he wont be too old to finish it. He sees Taiwan unification as his legacy. Assuming he maintains power (almost impossible for him to lose it at this point bar major illness) and something doesnt drastically change on the global stage that changes his mind the majority of people i spoke to predicted a war would start around 2025-2027.
Xi is now running it like a tin pot highly centralized dictatorship. He makes all the decisions and everyone just follows his orders. Anyone who questions him is out. End result. He surrounds himself with yes men who do nothing more then feed his ego and abide by his bidding.
does chinas economy immediately fall apart? Nope. Despite the medias claims of chinas economy being on the brink it simply isnt true. China has built up tremendous foreign reserves and enforces strict foreign capital flows. The country isnt going to find itself bankrup for at least many decades even with Xis complete economic mismanagement. Yes it might have some lehmann style financial hiccups. But this will be rectified because china has so much wealth it can move around to plug up holes.
was in Beijing two weeks ago and two very obvious things struck me from the people willing to talk (and this group of people willing to talk has dwindled significantly over the past 4 years).
One. Everyone with wealth and a good education is trying to flee china and move to the West. They see that Xi Will gradually take China back down the horrifying Mao path. It just will take time to get there.
Two. Xi wants to go to war with Taiwan and he wants to do it soon so he wont be too old to finish it. He sees Taiwan unification as his legacy. Assuming he maintains power (almost impossible for him to lose it at this point bar major illness) and something doesnt drastically change on the global stage that changes his mind the majority of people i spoke to predicted a war would start around 2025-2027.
