Foreign Policy (November 28)
After engineering “changes in China’s leadership succession rules so that he can preside over his country for life,” Xi is now confronting “a crisis that may come to be seen as an ideal test of the middle-income trap theory.” Deep down, Xi probably realizes “that at some point China’s political system will have to adapt for the country to continue to modernize” and avoid this trap. But for Xi, much like other “leaders who concentrate immense power in their own hands,” the problem is that “no moment ever quite looks like a good one to make serious, substantive change.”
Tags: Adapt, China, Concentrate, Crisis, Leaders, Leadership, Middle-income trap, Modernize, Political system, Power, Rules, Substantive change, Succession, Test, Xi
Wall Street Journal (February 22, 2012)
“China could face an economic crisis unless it implements deep reforms, including scaling back its vast state-owned enterprises and making them operate more like commercial firms.” A soon-to-be released report, titled “China 2030,” also warns that “China’s growth is in danger of decelerating rapidly and without much warning.” The report indicates that China, like Brazil and Mexico, will face a “middle-income trap,” which tends to snare developing countries that reach a threshold income level.
“China could face an economic crisis unless it implements deep reforms, including scaling back its vast state-owned enterprises and making them operate more like commercial firms.” A soon-to-be released report, titled “China 2030,” also warns that “China’s growth is in danger of decelerating rapidly and without much warning.” The report indicates that China, like Brazil and Mexico, will face a “middle-income trap,” which tends to snare developing countries that reach a threshold income level.
