China’s Coming Upheaval

TRUMP CALLED IT. China is indeed the greatest economic and military threat to the United States. But Trump’s trade war, the Coronavirus crisis, an aging population and deep debt have presented an opportunity to reflect on the future of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). A long but worthwhile think piece over at Foreign Affairs.

“The deepest threat to the regime’s stability will come from the Chinese middle class. Well-educated and ambitious college graduates will find it difficult to obtain desirable jobs in the coming years because of China’s anemic economic performance. As their standard of living stalls, middle-class Chinese may turn against the party. This won’t be obvious at first: the Chinese middle class has traditionally shied away from politics. But even if members of the middle class do not participate in anti-regime protests, they may well express their discontent indirectly, in demonstrations over such issues as environmental protection, public health, education, and food safety. The Chinese middle class could also vote with its feet by emigrating abroad in large numbers.”