I am writing about this now because China today is feeling a lot like Russia in the 1990s. I am getting the sense that many Chinese companies are pessimistic about their futures and they are acting accordingly. Our China lawyers are seeing evidence of this everywhere.
Do read it all. Those stories about Xi Jinping Flu pandemic Chinese toilet paper scams are the tip of the iceberg. There's a Russia 1990s Wild West vibe going on, the author says.
As I've said, I'm really skeptical about claims that the Chinese are just about genetically programmed for superior long-range planning:
My skepticism of China's renowned ability to think the long game is not new. I return to it occasionally. So I really enjoyed criticism of Chinese planning ability from China's Futures (Daniel C. Lynch, page 37)[.]
Do click through to read the awesome quoted passage from the book.
Perhaps the Chinese have superior patience. Maybe. But our Cold War strategy shows America and the West are not incapable of that, too.
But with their short-term vision, Chinese businesses are assuring a more rapid and more complete decoupling of their economy with the world than the West may want. Even Europeans will react to that.
Bravo.
Tip to Instapundit.
