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.

Frank Sieren

Chinese people think in long historical dimensions, dynasties to be precise. The Chinese are also traditionally convinced that dynasties come and go in waves. After 160 years of bankruptcies, misfortunes, and mishaps between 1820 and 1980, a new period of prosperity is dawning. Now that China has largely completed its catch-up to modernization and they are able to manufacture top-quality cars and smartphones themselves, they have begun to return to the old innovative times. After all, China – a nation since around 200 BC – looks back at a long history of great innovative periods.

Your registration was successful.

You have not received an email?

Xi Jinping travels to Vietnam

Xi returns to the Shanghai region

Beijing discusses two-state solution with Macron and Arab ministers