China began a four-day secret meeting on Saturday to set a reform agenda for the next decade as they try to push more sustainable growth after three decades of breakneck expansion. But analysts have cautioned against expectations for big changes as they say stability remains the watchword for the leadership. Read full article
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Disclaimer & comment rulessecret meeting to decide reforms has to make you laugh really.
Nov 09th, 2013 - 08:42 pm - Link - Report abuse 0My figures are at least a year out of date, but the top 660 US office holders from all branches of government are worth about US$7.5 billion, In China the top 70 add more than that PER YEAR and are worth a staggering US$89.8 billion.
China is now a plutocracy so reforms will only be made that extend that wealth and help grow it. If it helps the poor plebs churning out gee-gaws for the west then it is either purely coincidental or bread and circuses to keep them placated.
Funnily enough the biggest disincentive to having children for many in Chinese cities these days is not the One Child a policy but the expense of having children. China's TFR is nearly the same as Japan's at about 1.2 and everyone harps on about Japan's economic decline which is made worse by this low birthrate. However in Beijing and Shanghai the TFR is estimated at between 0.6 and 0.8.
China is supposedly the world's next superpower and economic juggernaut for so many and yet it is demographically worse than the last country that wore this tag, Japan.
What's the bet this issue isn't tackled and 'reformed'.
I read an article that these huge quickly build ghost cities are crumbling from poor construction and lack of maintenance.
Nov 12th, 2013 - 01:10 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Much like their Society and Economy.
Soon enough the bloody provincial riots will reach the east coast cities and there will be revolution.
My guess is we will see this in the next decade as food and jobs become more scarce.
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