its always been about Trade. Covid and subsequent covid-containment policies are for fighting the Trade War with the US/West.
Up to now its been a “how low can you go” competition between the US and China. China suppressing exports, US suppressing demand – each curtailing more and more until one of them breaks first.
What we are seeing is a potential crack on the Chinese side. It’s possible China is losing the War right now internally.
And as a backdrop to all of this, the west was priming the Chinese public with news of uprisings, protests, etc in many western countries during 2020-2021. News of chaos in the western world was gladly permeated in Chinese State Media – but it was a trap that the Chinese State Media walked right into.
Note that China was flooded with news of US riots, etc in 2020 – the Chinese know they can do what the Americans did, and now they too are out in the streets making their voices heard. Many people felt 2020 was some sort of psychological experiment – not really, it was all just one giant message designed to penetrate the Chinese firewall. One giant seed planted in the minds of the Chinese.
I think that’s the first time he’s explicitly stated that Chinese-style Fascism-Communism (not sure what the difference is, these days) is closely aligned with the New World Order as he sees it. Of course it’s been pretty obvious for a while now.
I think the CCP will stay quiet.
They will let local authorities / thugs do the crack downs and arrests. Let them take the fall. They will not react to the protests letting them fizzle out in a few days. Like swatting a few pesky mosquitoes. At least that is what they are hoping for.
Nothing will happen, it will fizzle out. CCP will work out new ways to stop it from happening again. When the ‘party’ own everything/control everything including pretty much all forms of communication/organization you are fighting a losing battle.
As I’ve mentioned before. The CCP didn’t just wake up one day and decided to round up the Uighurs.
When I was living there. I was repeatedly warned about them by other ethnically han people. As the concept of Han ethnicity is dominant in China, people saw me as one of them and would say some fucked up things like they call carry knifes and are breeding terrorists and that I should stay away from them.
The overarching theme was “they are not like us Chinese”
So what do you think was the natural result of this idea in the population? Taking people there and put them into camps to become more like “us Chinese”. The CCP simply followed the will of the people.
You can say the same thing about HK, Taiwan, etc.
My only hope is a lesson learned even if it’s late. They have to realize this is not the solution to their problems.
The outcome of some of the Arab Spring countries was a change in leader (but not govt) and/or smaller constitutional/law changes.
I don’t expect anything to come of the protests in China. But yeah, when something eventually does change it’s more likely to be an easing of authoritarianism under the CCP, not ousting the CCP.
Not to mention, China’s inherently unstable internal situation with the economic contrast between rural and urban areas, massive environmental issues, etc. etc. But, the government has the reins of technological power firmly in its hands.