Let’s be clear about this. China is China. Nothing has changed inside China (other than a bit more assertiveness towards the outside world than we’re used to). It’s regime is the same, the leaders are the same and the Government is the same.
What has definitely changed is western attitudes towards China. We’ve collectively removed the ‘rose-tinted spectacles’ that have been firmly in place while we’ve enjoyed the economic benefits of being China’s friend and business partner for the past 20 years, and now we’re questioning everything about China – the authoritarian regime, the wet markets, foreign interference, the lack of transparency, the rule of law etc. etc.
What’s also changed is that we’re in the middle of a global pandemic with no end in sight, a US presidential re-election campaign which will last until November (or later) and we’re on the edge of an economic catastrophe which raises questions that nobody can answer yet. That’s the real problem.
One day we’re going to need China to get ourselves out of this mess. In the meantime, let’s focus on the things that matter – staying healthy, staying sane and staying in business?
