A new daily dilemma: a country between openness and surveillance

Today, on its 100th anniversary, the Communist leadership faces a major dilemma. It wants to consolidate its power and the order of the country. At the same time, it needs to allow more and more free-market economy since economic prosperity legitimizes its power. But this requires opening up to the world. The fact that this dilemma cannot be solved by ideological concepts, but in the end only by trial and error, was demonstrated by the reformer Deng Xiaoping. But it won't be any easier for the party to reconcile the two.

Last updated: 24. July 2025