China and Democracy

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Good evening. Thirty-seven years ago this week, dreams of a freer China died on the streets of Beijing when the Chinese Communist Party sent in the army to crush the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests. By the turn of the century there were renewed hopes that the Party would at least tolerate labor and legal rights activism and a more vibrant media and arts scene, provided none of the above directly challenged its monopoly on political power. Those hopes would ultimately fade with the rise and rise of Xi Jinping. Xi’s admirers argue that the system that benefits him and them is also in the best interests of everyone else. In his new book excerpted in this week’s issue, Fordham University’s Dongxian Jiang argues that democracy can work in China. “The track record of China’s current political system cautions against any quick or uncritical affirmation of its supposed superiority over liberal democracy,” he argues. “In this ongoing contest, partisans on each side often take comfort in the short-comings of their rivals. But history has not yet declared a winner.”And in The Wire China podcast, Rachel Cheung interviews Noah Berman on the rise of Chinese memory chip makers.Other items in this week’s issue: A conversation with Jeffrey Wasserstrom; why Chinese AI won’t be cheap; meet JinkoSolar, The Big Picture’s Company in the News; David Henig on Trump-Xi and Nixon-Mao; and Elisa Hörhager on China Inc’s challenges for Germany.Want this emailed directly to your inbox? Sign up to receive our free newsletter.Illustration by Nate KitchThere is an AlternativeWhat would the people of China c…