The China Thread

[Monoriu]

If there are free and fair elections in Mainland China, I expect the communists to win handily.  People grumble about the party all the time but also realise that the communists have delivered years of stability and prosperity.  There is also no real alternative.

If there are free and fair elections in Hong Kong, the rioters will win easily.  They'll want to kick all the Mainlanders out, not allow Mainland tourists in, stop Mainland immigration, stop Mainlanders from buying HK property, etc. 

[Admiral Yi]

There is also no real alternative.

Have you considered the possibility this might have something to do with the fact that it's illegal?

[Monoriu]

There is also no real alternative.

Have you considered the possibility this might have something to do with the fact that it's illegal?

Sure.  And?

[Admiral Yi]

Sure.  And?

And if it were made legal an alternative would arise.

[Monoriu]

Sure.  And?

And if it were made legal an alternative would arise.

Of course.  But the reality at the moment is, there is no real alternative. 

You know what, I am not sure you really want that alternative to arise.  A material portion of the Chinese population are very nationalistic, and want to go to war with Taiwan.  They think they'll win easily.  If there is an alternative, that party could call for an immediate invasion of Taiwan, war with Japan to reclaim some island, war with Vietnam to reclaim some historical land, etc. 

And a democratically elected central government will probably end One Country; Two Systems in Hong Kong immediately, and execute the HK rioters on a massive scale. 

[Admiral Yi]

Of course.  But the reality at the moment is, there is no real alternative. 

Sure.  And?

[Monoriu]

Of course.  But the reality at the moment is, there is no real alternative. 

Sure.  And?

  If there are free and fair elections in Mainland China, the communists will win

[Admiral Yi]

  If there are free and fair elections in Mainland China, the communists will win

If there are free and fair elections in China, opposition parties and candidates will legal, and there will be an alternative to Communist rule.

[Jacob]

If there were free and fair elections in China, the CCP would eventually split into multiple parties.

[Monoriu]

The real problem will come next year, when Xi's time will be up.  Everybody expects him to stay for at least five more years.  The question is will he appoint a successor who will succeed him in 2027. 

[Jacob]

The real problem will come next year, when Xi's time will be up.  Everybody expects him to stay for at least five more years.  The question is will he appoint a successor who will succeed him in 2027.

Is it in question anymore? Isn't he planning on staying Chairman for life?

[Monoriu]

The real problem will come next year, when Xi's time will be up.  Everybody expects him to stay for at least five more years.  The question is will he appoint a successor who will succeed him in 2027.

Is it in question anymore? Isn't he planning on staying Chairman for life?

We are not really sure.  He maybe planning that, but there are other factions.  We'll have a better idea at the 20th party congress, which should take place next year. 

[Valmy]

A material portion of the Chinese population are very nationalistic, and want to go to war with Taiwan.  They think they'll win easily.  If there is an alternative, that party could call for an immediate invasion of Taiwan, war with Japan to reclaim some island, war with Vietnam to reclaim some historical land, etc.

Naturally the CCP has spent decades indoctrinating them to want those things. So we must preserve the CCP in order to save us from the CCP? Fascinating.

[Valmy]

If there are free and fair elections in Hong Kong, the rioters will win easily.  They'll want to kick all the Mainlanders out, not allow Mainland tourists in, stop Mainland immigration, stop Mainlanders from buying HK property, etc. 

Maybe. But the thing about free and fair elections is that you get more than one. Eventually the rioters would lose.

Actually can I refer to the CCP as the concentration camp genociders? So long as their opponents are called rioters I guess it would only be fair.

[Jacob]

Maybe. But the thing about free and fair elections is that you get more than one. Eventually the rioters would lose.

They wouldn't be rioting if there were free and fair elections.