China: Dealing With Hidden Flaws

[Valin]

Strategy Page

April 15, 2021:

The continuing trade war with the United States has had growing impact on both countries. Over the last year there were many months where China dropped into second place as the largest trading partner of the U.S., replaced by Mexico. China and the U.S. have been reducing or halting exports of key items to each other. This is disrupting production in both countries. The American response has been to resume production of items it allowed China to create market dominance or a monopoly in. China is less able to do this and the trade war is exposing how China is more vulnerable than the United States. Some aspects of this vulnerability are sensitive issues China refuses to recognize. For example, China is a communist police state and the current communist government regards that as an advantage, not an impediment to survival. With its market economy run by a dictatorship China has become the classic definition of a fascist state and none of those have lasted long. China does recognize that it has an “innovation” problem and refuses to admit that its immigration policies have any part in it.

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[Valin]

BAY OF BENGAL (Oct. 17, 2021) Ships and aircraft from the U.S. Navy, the Royal Australian Navy, the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF), and the Royal Navy, led by the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70), the Royal Navy aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth (R 08) and the JMSDF Izumo-class helicopter destroyer JS Kaga (DDH 184) transit in formation during Maritime Partnership Exercise (MPX) 2021, Oct. 17, 2021.