Billionaire Alibaba Founder Jack Ma Reappears in Hong Kong
reuters.com
reuters.com
If there was any further indication that a group of people needed to all band together and overthrow their government, you'd think that'd be it, but I guess some people just love living in near slavery.
The government as the arm of the people putting an end to this is a good thing. Why would people want to overthrow their government because it put an end to exploitation?
The west may not be perfect but it has rule of law and due process that at least makes an attempt to protect its citizens from arbitary arrest.
Do you think that a one party state that locks up ethnic minorities, tortures them, uses them for slave labour is somehow superior to democracy, free press, rule of law and property rights?
Regarding why they ban private tutoring I think many people are not giving birth in China because it takes lot of money to raise children and private tutoring is supposed to be one reason.
First of all people should know that CCP already realize they are mostly alone in this world so they need to gear up their technology, become more independent, increase domestic consumption, drive innovations etc.. Playing games / Celebrities, Gig Economy, 996 is not helpful to achieve CCP long term goals.In democracy politicians mostly have only short terms goals so that they can appease the mass. But in China CCP is eternal and it doesn't need to appease the mass.
Also if west want to crackdown on certain person it can bring its own reason as we can see with Julian Assange case.
"Do you think that a one party state that locks up ethnic minorities, tortures them, uses them for slave labour is somehow superior to democracy, free press, rule of law and property rights?"
Yea I think that is really bad part of CCP. But AFAIK since 2019 they have relaxed their rules in ethnic minorities[1]
[1]: https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-lifestyle-ch...
Maybe because disappearing people does not exactly make you feel safe in a country? Maybe because there should be a check on the power that does such things?
Plus, it's not like the US doesn't disappear people [1], they just wouldn't dare do it to an oligarch.
[1] https://www.npr.org/2020/07/17/892277592/federal-officers-us...
Tell that to the millions of Uyghurs.
And no, Adrian Zenz, a religious extremist who claimed he is "led by god" on a "mission" against communist China, does not count as a trustworthy source.
All first-hand testimonies and research by Amnesty.
The wealth and power of individuals and private corporations is absolutely trivial compared to that of governments.
Hundreds of billions is pocket change to the state. They own the arena in which the game is played. They legitimately operate the databases that track the value of money, and run the printers that produce more. There is no practical amount of wealth that brings a private citizen's stature into the same realm.
If I was penalized by my home country, I personally would not want to put myself in front of domestic media or foreign media with a political axe to grind.
Or not renew them, each September since 2001, like clockwork.
The ongoing state of emergency enables such otherwise temporary powers.
It's just that they are just less exposed in the global media, even as a forbidden topic in China's media. It's not hard to imagine how rich Xi actually is, he is basically Putin.
So when we are on the topic of `eliminate billionaires`, especially in the context in the country like China, the question becomes: which billionaires? ;)
source?
Ma etc have bought properties and have cash /shares stashed outside China, I'm sure. But deciding to pull the trigger is tricky.
If he gets caught, he's dead. He's probably being tailed by secret services, maybe even his inner circle reports on him.
The balance of power is so skewed towards the government that the CCP can do this any day of the week without slowing down.
Which people? What if the majority agrees with this move but they won’t speak out in public about it?
I for one am perfectly fine with China being able to do this. It would, at the very least, keep Zuckerberg and others in check.
The anti-China rhetoric on HN is mind boggling sometimes when it’s put next to the constant stream of complaints in the West, regarding inflation/monetary handouts, zoning laws, corruption, real estate, oil spills and companies getting away with shit, etc. The list is endless.
And yet, you’ve accomplished nothing. In fact, things are now worse than they were and yet you just keep complaining thinking it will make a difference. You’ll never get anywhere complaining without having a path to act. China, evil it may be, actually acts.
Go and call your congresspeople. They’ll listen to you over the sound of money that is pouring their way to look the other way.
That's because we're more open and hyper-critical of our flaws and that's how awareness builds. Better than controlling the press to hide your flaws and only publishing good news.
It's a major coincidence for such a free press, right?
There is no shortage of articles published by Western media suggesting that China is out-hustling and out-innovating the US, and that the West is in decline as China rises.
This alone doesn't entitle China to praise or admiration. It's an authoritarian total surveillance state in which information is censored, citizens have little to no recourse when harmed by government action, enemies of the state disappear, and ethnic minorities are rounded up and sent to camps for "reeducation".
You can engage in self-flagellation if you think it helps, but you’re not fooling people watching this thing unfold.
Acts for whom?
> Go and call your congresspeople. They’ll listen to you over the sound of money that is pouring their way to look the other way.
You taunt Americans, suggesting that politicians in the US ignore their constituents, but what do you think happens in China? Do you believe that the CCP gangsters who run just about every level of government listen to the Chinese citizens they govern?
Do you know what happens to plebs in China when they make too much noise?
Citation needed. Over what timeframe? In what sector? The US has accomplished a lot and nothing depending how you frame it.
> Go and call your congresspeople. They’ll listen to you over the sound of money that is pouring their way to look the other way.
I (and many others) have actually had great success organizing & calling my federal reps. Even the Republican ones! (Although I have the most success with Democrats)
Don’t generalize the politics of a country you’ve only read about. It isn’t fair to call out Anti-China rhetoric just for you to spin the same top.
If you are fine when the govt kidnaps a billionaire then what makes you think you will be safe?
I'm not a fan of CCP in any way but I find naivety of HN commenters speaking about China and CCP here very amusing.
Read my comment again, I think that if you are a billionaire the US govt wont kidnap you like what they do in China and Russia.
I find your comment amusing unless you can give some sources where the US has kidnapped billionaires and kept them hidden for months.
I suggest you to educate yourself about the matter. He did disappear for years, not months, unfortunately.
And there is not need to become so defensive - if you look at history with intellectual curiosity you may find at certain point that similarities between US, Russian or Chinese government are quite extreme when it comes to fighting with forces opposing the government.
We are not talking about history here, we are talking about the present.
Still interested in reading your source for your claim that Assange disappeared.
Are those humans human enough for you?
Eventually try the same in the U.S and more likely that someone like Zuckerberg becomes one of those who can pull policing power strings than him being punished by "tough on billionaires" politicians with too much coercive authority.
As a basic bottom line, i'd prefer a country with a Bezos or Zuckerberg trying to manipulate me into depending on them to a country where a Xi can literally force my dependence at any time. Neither is ideal but the first at least leaves room for saying no without being imprisoned or killed.