China s Myth of Communist Competence – WSJ

Xi Jinping doubtless expected to celebrate the New Year by touting the superiority of his authoritarian economic and governance model. Instead, he is trying to manage a healthcare crisis, a weakening economy, and political protests. These vulnerabilities each attributable to the Chinese Communist Party under Mr. Xi s leadership allow the U.S. to combat the party s mercantilist policies and debunk its narrative that China s rise to global dominance is inevitable.

Mr. Xi s climb-down from his signature zero-Covid policy, and the broad and poorly controlled spread of the virus, has exposed the weaknesses of China s social safety net. The public demonstrations since November are signs of underlying discontent. The participation of the well-off and normally passive urban populations affirms that Mr. Xi can t expect to maintain political control if he continues to impose such authoritarian restrictions.

via www.wsj.com

Analysis: true.