This month, the Chinese government released a white paper with a Western audience in mind. Published on September 6 by the State Council, the cabinet, the paper is titled "China’s Peaceful Development". Divided into five sections that range from China's peaceful scientific development to its peaceful foreign relations, it aspires to communicate to the West the country's deepest desires; in short, domestic stability empowered by economic growth.Conversely, what does this position paper suggest China most fears? Political instability fomented by outsiders who are unhappy with China's successful economic growth but perceived inadequate political reform. In addition, Beijing clearly fears the outbreak of trade hostilities and the emergence of prevailing wisdom in the West that confronting China with a Cold War mindset would be the best path forward. Throughout the white paper, the Communist Party reiterates its belief that domestic stability is the sole objective of its policies.....
Read the rest at Asia Times Online, China's reminder ... but is the West listening? by Benjamin A Shobert
China apparently sees the possibility of storm clouds developing on the horizon.
The Chinese regime fears its own people. Its economic model, of being the manufacturer for the world, will end badly. Perhaps with enough repression they can cling to power.
ReplyDeleteTheir claim to being socialist is laughable. Workers rights in China are negligible. Thousands, if not tens of thousands are maimed and killed on the job each year. I'd like to see them release a white paper on that.
THEY ARE ON THE RUN !!
ReplyDeleteLET'S GET 'EM !!
by stopping the purchases of their crap at our port steps.
the less we buy from them, the more they have to buy from us.
their $1 trillion piggy bank needs to spill and get zoned out by MMT realities.
Their enormous military build up and lust to take over Taiwan again certainly leads to ominous conclusions. Necessitates a trust but verify diplomacy a la Cold War.
ReplyDeleteIt is interesting Laura points out that the government in China fears its people. The one-party system in China has improved the lives of their citizens in the last several decades across all classes of workers and the government fears if it doesn't improve their lives, they will lose power.
ReplyDeleteThe two party system in the United States hasn't met success for decades but has no fear of failure or backlash from the people. The government is quite happy to continue failing. In the United States people fear the government not the other way around. We have so many layers of police, fbi, guard, army, navy, marines, sheriffs, constables, etc. that there is no chance whatsoever that we will ever pose any threat to our system of government.
Laura and Chewitup have actually described the US.
ReplyDeleteQuote laura:
The White house fears its own people. Its economic model, of being the consumer of the world, will end badly, perhaps with enough propaganda they can get re elected. Their claim to being democratic is laughable. Human rights in US are negligible. millions live in poverty while wall street gets fat.
Quote chewitup:
The US enormous military buildup and lust to take over resource rich countries certainly leads to diaster for themselves
What do US politicians have to fear? They don't face the prospect of exile or execution when they lose power. If anything, their stint in government is a stepping stone towards more lucrative opportunities.
ReplyDeleteAmericans may fear their government but they have the option to effect political change peaceably. Citizens in China do not.
What is the usual fate of authoritarian regimes?
China appears to be at the stage where the preservation of their middle class is deemed important. Eventually the only segment of society that will continue to enjoy a middle class lifestyle will be members of the security apparatus.
"Americans may fear their government but they have the option to effect political change peaceably. Citizens in China do not."
ReplyDeleteVoting for Twiddle Dee or Twiddle Dum does not a democracy make. For example: we can vote for trillions of deficit cuts by taxing the rich and smaller social program cuts (Democrats) or trillions of deficit cuts in social programs (Republicans). Other options aren't available. They are quite literally laughed off stage and marginalized to their neat little protests a few miles away so those in power don't have to be bothered with the dissent.
In China, they actually do allow opposition parties much the same way that the two party system within the United States allows the greens or libertarians etc. China has 8 registered political parties that are supported and 3 or 4 that are suppressed by the government in addition to the Communist party. Almost identical to the way it works in the US.
The National Peoples Congress, the legislature, has thousands of members, not a few hundred like the USA, and they have diverse opinions and objectives. In the last decade they have often diverged and refused to adopt communist party official policy objectives.
Meetings of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China is where high level leaders have a vigorous debate of real issues. The dissent expressed there has led to the breath taking changes over the last half century that we have all observed. Routine policy consensus is built in the Congress of the Communist party by a few thousand representatives elected from the millions of party members. It certainly isn't perfect in China, there are huge problems, in human rights especially. They too execute marginalized and innocent people under the guise of national security and justice.
At the end of the day, they are increasing freedoms and improving the lives of their citizens.
The US Govt is decreasing the standard of living for its people. In the last decade or two the government passed laws to stifle real debate and reduce individual liberties in the name of the security of the state.
Ryan,
ReplyDeleteDenigrating the US doesn't make China look better by comparison. Without democratic reform there will be violence. Authoritarians of all stripes always believe that the lessons of history won't apply to them. Capitalism won't save these "socialists".
Hopefully the citizens of China are less apathetic than Americans.
Laura,
ReplyDeleteUS politicians have MUCH to fear for screwing up so badly in their stint in government as a stepping stone to more lucrative opportunities.
Through propaganda perfected over decades, America has become a kind of authoritarian regime, without its people recognizing it.
And, of course, denigrating anyone has never achieved anything constructive. The US has denigrated China for years.
Yes, refusing to do business with China might have been more effective at forcing regime change, but I suppose profit before principles is the guiding principle.
ReplyDeleteRyan,
ReplyDelete"In the last decade or two the government passed laws to stifle real debate and reduce individual liberties in the name of the security of the state."
What laws have been passed to stifle real debate? If anything public discourse has ramped up over the last decade.
I agree with you that the pace of China's progress has been exponential, but that is because they had such a huge gap to fill.