Burton: New evidence indicates China’s Communist Party is reining in strongman Xi Jinping
Xi’s grip on power has been buttressed by his emperor-like charisma as supreme leader. But while the outside world sees China through a global lens, Xi’s domestic problems stem from disastrous economic and foreign policies that hobbled the economy, leaving local governments in debt and real estate values plunging.
As a Rand Corporation summary puts it, “Consumer confidence is poor. External demand is a brittle support beam, as Western governments consider protectionist measures. China’s GDP is no longer catching up to the United States.”
While China’s high tech may be soaring, public confidence is low because of Xi’s repressive policies and plummeting relations with the West. There are no mechanisms to push him into retirement, however there are powerful rivals within the party — and a military that resents 10 years of politically motivated corruption purges.
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