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Coss
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Hmm...I'm not going to go with the brink of disintegration thing. Will they face a hard time when their housing and credit markets crash? Sure. But so will America, probably worse and there are other countries that won't make it out of the next crash whole I think (Italy, Greece, maybe Spain). 

The 2nd largest economy just doesn't implode like that. Japan has had a stagnant economy since the early 90s. Since that time their economy has been shit for the most part. Yet, they stayed the 2nd biggest economy till the early 00's and are still 3rd and no one has been able close to eking them out for 3rd biggest economy in the world despite them having next to zero growth, upside down demographics where over a 1/3 of the population is over 60 years old. 

China has the biggest housing bubble in global history by far. It will have a massive effect on them. But if they were to implode it won't be a solitary thing. They have been the biggest foreign buyers of US debt (although they have been weening themselves off it as of late). Other economies rely on them. They are biggest trade partners for Korea, Japan, Brazil, Philippines, Australia, a host of other decent size economies. China implodes, we all suffer and suffer massively. It won't happen in a vacuum. I think a lot of the China is going to implode talk is part wishful thinking. If it were to happen, as I said, it won't happen to them alone. American goods will skyrocket if that were to happen as an example. Walmart, Target, all the major retailers left rely heavily on Chinese made goods. First, it will take months to try and replace that market and it will be a hodge podge of other markets and most of those markets rely on the Chinese as well. 

The global economy is interwoven, and everyone is economically joined at the hip for the most part to varying degrees. 

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Thanks for the correction. Certain countries seem culturally conditioned to a strong man, one leader with authoritative power. Some countries and cultures just aren't attune to democracy and I'm not saying its a bad thing either. 

Arab society have been a tribal society for centuries. They have a tribal leaders. That will never change. They look to one person either on the local level or regional level. History tells us that Russia and China are similar in that the people expect and respect a strong man. I don't think Democracy will ever work in China. Xi has been popular to a fairly large extent because he has brought not only an unprecedented amount of wealth to China but also has raised its prestige to historic levels. China has never been mentioned as a truly global power before. The Chinese people have a sense of nationalism that hasn't been seen since the end of WW2. 

Xi has near dictatorial powers. At least for now. 

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Maybe it starting to spread from Hong Kong!  :xmsgrin:

Chinese students defiant as university charter cuts 'freedom of thought'

SHANGHAI: A top Chinese university has removed references to "freedom of thought" from its charter, triggering a rare act of student defiance, while two other institutions added language stressing fealty to President Xi Jinping and the Communist Party.

A video circulating this week showed students at Shanghai's Fudan University singing the school song — which extols "academic independence and freedom of thought" — in an apparent protest.

Fudan's charter change was announced by the Ministry of Education on its website late Tuesday and criticism quickly trended on social media before China's ever-vigilant online censors acted to delete posts and block discussion.

Besides removing "freedom of thought", it adds "arming the minds of teachers and students with Xi Jinping's new era of socialist ideology with Chinese characteristics".

It also obliges faculty and students to adhere to "core socialist values" and build a "harmonious" campus environment — a code phrase for the elimination of anti-government sentiment.

...

https://www.bangkokpost.com/world/1819769/chinese-students-defiant-as-university-charter-cuts-freedom-of-thought#cxrecs_s

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  • 2 weeks later...

Mekong Cargo Ships Grounded after China Dam Reduces Water

Thailand’s Department of Water Resources has warned eight provinces on the Mekong river to prepare for water shortages.  Chinese cargo ships have now stopped operating on the Mekong river from Chiang San pier in Chiang Rai up to Myanmar, Laos, and China.

Some cargo boats from Laos are already stuck in shallow water due to a continuous decrease in the river level.

The Chinese Water Resources Authority has issued a notification to water management authorities in Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Myanmar, and Cambodia on the planned water discharge reduction from Jinghong dam upstream.

1st-3rd January, Jinghong dam will reduce its water discharge rate to 800-1,000 cubic meters per hour. The Dam will also lower that amount to 500-800 cubic meters per hour on 4th January.

After this period, the water discharge will be restored to the normal level. The discharge reduction is due to the planned testing of electricity transmission equipment at the dam.

Chiang Rai Provincial Marine Department has warned riverside residents and those commuting on Mekong river ferries to be on alert. The water level in Thailand is expected to decrease from 2nd January onwards.

The Office of National Water Resources now expects the dam affected will extend to Loei on 10th-13th Janaury. And also proceed to affect other provinces downstream until 19th January.

The office has also notified provincial governors of Chiang Rai; Loei; Nong Khai; Bueng Kan; Nakhon Phanom; Mukdahan; Amnat Charoen; and Ubon Ratchathani.

 

https://www.chiangraitimes.com/thailand-national-news/chiangrai-news/mekong-cargo-ships-grounded-after-china-dam-reduces-water/

mekong.jpg

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  • 2 weeks later...

Huge sinkhole swallows bus, kills nine in China

Beijing (AFP) - An enormous sinkhole swallowed a bus and pedestrians in northwest China, sparking an explosion and killing nine people, state media said Tuesday.

Footage showed people at a bus stop running from the collapsing road as the vehicle -- jutting into the air -- sank into the ground.

Several people disappeared into the sinkhole as it spread, including what appeared to be a child. The incident also triggered an explosion inside the hole, video showed.

Sinkholes are not unknown in China, where they are often blamed on construction works and the country's rapid pace of development...

https://www.yahoo.com/news/huge-sinkhole-swallows-bus-kills-six-china-031514249.html

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