[seanmcdirmid]

Scary that the Chinese leadership does see Singapore as its best role model. Not sure if it will work out though, for the reasons you stated.

Taiwan, South Korea, and even Japan had or have governing structures that would be dubious by western standards, but still have succeeded well enough in reaching developed status (the former being dictatorships until recently, the latter being a reluctant democracy).

[nl]

I think Chinese leadership sees Singapore as an aspirational goal, rather than a development model.

For all their faults, the Chinese leadership is rarely dumb.