8 - Open Societies versus Closed Regime

Summary

The long and intensifying global expansion of the CCP has made the democratic countries increasingly uncomfortable and concerned. Virtually all the democracies realize that this current relationship with China cannot be sustained. Furthermore, they feel that their open societies are especially vulnerable to the CCP’s expansion, which is exacerbated by a lack of reciprocity: while the CCP/China can freely promote its views and enjoy full legal protection in their countries, they are restricted in China. Their citizens can be imprisoned and their firms can be shut down in China without due process. A China going global under dictatorship is more dangerous to the democracies than a closed one. If a dictatorship is closed, it will degenerate into infighting. For political, economic, and social reasons, China depends on its interactions with the democracies more than vice versa. The success of China, Inc. relies on the democracies to allow it to selectively use international rules in its favor and disregard them if needed. This is beginning to change.