Are you aware that SK and Taiwan were also once repressive military dictatorships? The economic transformation of those two places were only possible due to sustained planning and investment by authoritarian governments. What happened afterwards? It made those places more susceptible (both the people and the state) to foreign influence and the corrupting, corrosive spread of neo-liberal ideas, resulting in the overthrow of military rule. Do you think Kim wants that? And what happened after those two places adopted "liberal" governance? Accerlated increase in wealth inequality along with a decrease in net aggregate happiness. Even China experienced growing pains from economic reform and liberalization, which was only rung in by timely and wise party policies and why the focus of the CPC for the past decade has not been maximal economic growth but rather social harmony and quality of growth. Do you know in Iran, the government has around a 95% approval rating from the poorer classes? Only the upper middle class and a faction of the upper class elites support liberalization and alginment with the West.
Lol Your logic is very much flawed. So according to your logic because there are some risks some people might be influenced by opening up, attracting foreign direct investment and deep economic reforms then the country should just remain with the status quo? Is that how you see life in general or does this just apply to north Korea/Iran due to geopoltigal reasons which you think suits China?
Seriously, hearing views like this from a Chinese(of you are one) of all people is rather surprising .
Using your logic Deng xiaoping should have never reformed/opened up china(in fact many in the party/China were against this back then ) due to the risks it carried . He should have stuck to the status quo which was the easiest thing to do afterall, since it carried almost no risks. As we all know the easiest thing to do in life is to just remain where you are and not strive for change/more which is actually what vast majority of people in the world do to be honest. Only the very bold/visionaries are not okay with the status quo and strive for change/reforms/more . Luckily people with mentality like that are not in charge of china today(since 1979 anyway) else the country would have remained were it was decades ago(a situation where eveeybody is equally poor, and millions fleeing abroad for greener pastures. Lol). If anything Chinese leaders today are actually soléofnthe most boldest in reforms and change(which i know most people and even westerners will find puzzling/surprising). Chinese leaders constabtly experiment with change and different policies in small regions , those that worl they expand it tonthe country and those that doesnt work(doesnt matter whether its ideologically aligns with comunist socialist ideology or not) they discard it. The most recent example is the Hainan free trade region which is the latest opening up region with almost different laws and policies from the mainland. The whole island has become a free trade zone basically where any foreign company can easily set up shop with almost zero hassle, large broad zero-tariff policies, 15% corporate/personal tax caps, free movement of capital(which is something i wouldnt have thought china could do this lifetime in any region under the mainland), data, and personnel by 2025/2035. This are very deep reforms that go much liberal and deeper than even some western countries.
As i said before, only a fool will look at what his neighbour/friend is doing successfully for decades/years and still choose to maintain his current situation which has been a failure.
Like Deng Xuaoping(one of the leaders i admire the most and think is onenofnthe greatest/most consequential leaders of this past century) once said : " open door" policy is typically translated as: "When you open the window, both flies and air come in". So Open the windows, breathe the fresh air and at the same time fight the flies and insects lol.
He's right, you can't live your life being scared or risks. Else nobody will even invest or own a business . Lol , nobody will want to drive a car since there's a major risk you can have an accident or crash(it happens to many people. Lol ) etc etc. So that argument/logic is fallacious.
