It's also just dumb. China isn't collapsing, it isn't going away. I'd rather we didn't have a second cold war and instead accept there are differences in governing philosophy and work with them.
A lot of us interference ended up with some form blow back because it is seen as agression. China just needs better PR or a modern PR/propaganda unit geared for the western audience.
America is sorta getting dumber(or brainwashed) and dumber in the sense that dumb politicians are getting elected who feed on a dumb population to get re/elected. It's like a democratic version of the red guard/cultural revolution type manifestation.
I just read the article and I frankly didn't read anything that resemble new strategic approach that has never been done or considered in the past and the author's suggestions make it seem like the country that's in control/driver seat in this area is the U.S. and China’s own geopolitical strategists are not sophisticated enough to have considered the avenues of attacks/vulnerabilities of the China - DPRK relationship.
The author hasn't yet accepted and probably never will that China’s importance in the region must be taken into full consideration and that it's own interest can't simply be swept aside or be wished away regardless of the kind of magical strategies or recommendations American think tanks conjure up.
escobar
Brigadier
Same for CN. US companies used CN as "slave labor" to increase profit.
Yep and now a lot of Chinese people and companies still share the same white-worship mentality
The Trump sanctions, rhetoric and covid changed some of it but it still remains.
Which is why you see Xi ramping up patriotism and toughening up rules for culture imports and narratives. 2021 being such an important year for the CPC, expect a lot propaganda to remove US influence.
However, Xi must be careful because the line between patriotism and nationalism is fine, and a delicate balance must be achieved for his plan to succeed.
There are several red flags in this article. It repeats almost all myths about China.
"It wants its Leninist political model and state-led economic model to be accepted and respected."
China doesn't export ideology and it doesn't have to agree with Western values. The irony is forcing your values on others like the USA is actually very unwestern.
"The working-age population is already shrinking; by 2050, China will go from having eight workers per retiree now to two workers per retiree."
Useless metric. Interestingly all Chinese demography "experts" fail to address this most fundamental thing:
Chinese working-age population will always be above 500 million. This is 2x the workers the US will ever have.
"Moreover, it has already squeezed out most of the large productivity gains that come with a population becoming more educated and urban and adopting technologies to make manufacturing more efficient."
Ha hah ha hah. Hell no. The average Chinese is not even a middle school graduate and only 1/8 of the Chinese children go to university. China has a lot to milk from rising education levels. Its level of urbanization is 60% which is lower than most developing countries.
"China is running out of productive places to invest in infrastructure"
No. China needs an unimaginable amount of infrastructure because of its population and size. According to the infrastructure index, the Chinese infrastructure is less adequate than Malaysia. China has a lot to milk from more infrastructure too. It is at developed country standards only at transportation.
"According to Pew polling from October 2020, unfavorable views of China have reached historic highs across a diverse set of countries."
Is he ever heard of COVID-19? Currently, hating China is a fad. It will go away in 5 years.
"China’s military likely will remain relatively constrained for the foreseeable future in its ability to project force beyond its immediate periphery, "
Delusion. The same people then go and call the UK and France militaries global. China has enough warships to level any 3rd world country anywhere in the world. It routinely trains thousands of miles away from its homeland. Really, what was the last time global powers of the UK and France did the same? China currently has 130+ bombers and 11 (including currently unlaunched hulls) big amphis. The Chinese military has immense force projection capability. This capability is not used and less than the USA but it exists.
"a revanchist Russia"
I often stop reading when I see an article implying a China-Russia confrontation. The same old story since the early 90s... Yet the relations grow closer each day.
"China is also vulnerable when it comes to food and energy security."
No. It's not. Chinese food production equals 2500 cals/person/day. All the food China imports are extra calories or for luxury. Chinese electricity production is fully self-sufficient and there is a huge electrified transportation network. Also, China has synthetic fuel production capability and produces more than a quarter of its oil. Also, it is a nuclear power. Cutting these may earn you a few dozen DF-41s!
"The U.S. economy is still $7 trillion larger than China’s."
This was true in 2019. But that's not the point. The point is how he cherry-picks the data. Economies exhibit exponential growth so it is utterly pointless to mention the difference. Ratios are the only thing that matters. The Chinese economy is 70% of the US's and is growing 2.5 times faster. Also, it is larger by PPP. Why doesn't he mention these? Simple. He is cherry-picking.
Conclusion: Junk of an article that repeats all misconceptions about China.