> Not really. Japanese / SKorea success in tech are from massive conglomerates that function effectively the same as Chinese SEOs, see Chaebol, Zaibatsu.
That's only part of the picture. I'm talking more lower level ie. artists, engineers and scientists
Sure, you need the infrastructure for investment and manufacturing but that doesn't solve the problem of nationally, stunted creativity
> Free speech doesn't matter when building electronics or military hardware
It does matter if you want to build something original and innovative, instead of yet another cheap copy. That requires creativity, which is dependent on free speech. I mean just take a look at mainland entertainment. Most of it consists of movies and shows about the distant past. It's not even close to what could have been done like what you see in Japan or SK. Maybe if China had a more individualist society, you'd have a better argument or even proof beyond one off exceptions like DJI
> China under Xi is going in the right direction for global dominance for the simple reason that he's one of the first leader since Mao to take military modernization seriously... Now China has a massively expanding Navy with growing blue water capabilities, SCS bases, space infrastructure and enough indigenous weapons that even belligerent US under Pompeo doesn't have the guts to sail carrier through the Taiwan strait anymore.
What does this matter when everyone important already has global, ballistic nuclear missiles? One could argue that it's a drain on GDP when it could be spent elsewhere. Most of the US deficit is due to wasteful, military spending.
> The alternative to Xi was Bo Xilai who would never have reformed the corrupt and ineffective military old guard.
How do you even know there are actual reforms vs Xi just having a good excuse for rounding up his enemies like Putin, when there's no free press?
That's only part of the picture. I'm talking more lower level ie. artists, engineers and scientists
Sure, you need the infrastructure for investment and manufacturing but that doesn't solve the problem of nationally, stunted creativity
> Free speech doesn't matter when building electronics or military hardware
It does matter if you want to build something original and innovative, instead of yet another cheap copy. That requires creativity, which is dependent on free speech. I mean just take a look at mainland entertainment. Most of it consists of movies and shows about the distant past. It's not even close to what could have been done like what you see in Japan or SK. Maybe if China had a more individualist society, you'd have a better argument or even proof beyond one off exceptions like DJI
> China under Xi is going in the right direction for global dominance for the simple reason that he's one of the first leader since Mao to take military modernization seriously... Now China has a massively expanding Navy with growing blue water capabilities, SCS bases, space infrastructure and enough indigenous weapons that even belligerent US under Pompeo doesn't have the guts to sail carrier through the Taiwan strait anymore.
What does this matter when everyone important already has global, ballistic nuclear missiles? One could argue that it's a drain on GDP when it could be spent elsewhere. Most of the US deficit is due to wasteful, military spending.
> The alternative to Xi was Bo Xilai who would never have reformed the corrupt and ineffective military old guard.
How do you even know there are actual reforms vs Xi just having a good excuse for rounding up his enemies like Putin, when there's no free press?