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by dangus 624 days ago
I think it's a mistake to give in to the temptation to jump to the conclusion that China is a tunnel-vision cult of personality everything-the-crazy-dictator-wants-he-gets government.

The Chinese government under Xi has a well-established track record of long-term planning that has done nothing but elevated China's status and leverage in the world.

It really couldn't be further from (e.g.) Putin's style of governance.

2 comments

Sidelining potential political competitors and/or forcing them out of the public sphere doesn't inspire confidence in Xi's ability to resist using power conveniently.

> The Chinese government under Xi has a well-established track record of long-term planning that has done nothing but elevated China's status and leverage in the world.

Some of its neighbors in the South China Sea would beg to differ.

E.g. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=V80MGYrWWaM&t=80s

I’m confused at what your video is supposed to disprove about what I said.

China rammed into a Philippine ship knowing they would face zero consequences.

Did they face any consequences?

China’s neighbors can hem and haw all they want. China is the superpower in the Eastern Hemisphere.

Your use of "status" sounded like "people like them."

If you were intending it in the sense of "people fear them," then agreed.

By status I mean geopolitical power and leverage, not fear or admiration.
> elevated China's status

In 2024 china issued 17% less residence visas than 2019.

Maybe. But the trend is down.

What does residence visas have to do with geopolitical power?

That’s one tiny variable of many.

Should I link you an article about how US immigration hit record lows after the Covid-19 pandemic?

You'll see. China just disappeared their finance minister. Which is something that, you know, successful countries do all the time.
Where do you get that information?

Liu Kun reached official retirement age, and I can still find engagements involving him after his successor was announced.

https://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2023-10-24/china-...

I’m not a huge fan of China or anything but let’s stick to facts instead of conspiracy theories?