SUGGESTED 2020 readings for China observers keen on said country’s vivid prospects, relative to defining what should be the Philippine States calibrated formulary pursuing our national interests, as projected into contentious domestic questions and diplomatic, if not territorial, issues. Five books would be most enlightening.
1) ‘The Private Life of Chairman Mao, authored by his personal medical doctor, Zhisui Li, from1954 to Mao’s death in 1976. A review on the back page describes the author, “Li spent more time with Mao than perhaps any other person…is a landmark biography, as fascinating as it is important to the understanding of modern China”. On Taiwan, Mao is quoted, “Some of our comrades don’t understand the situation. They want us to cross the sea and take-over Taiwan. I don’t agree. Let’s leave Taiwan alone. Taiwan keeps the pressure on us. It helps maintain our internal unity. Once the pressure is off, internal disputes might break-out”. 2) ‘The Next 100 Years’ Forecast for the 21st Century, George Friedman. In Chapter 5 is ‘China 2020 Paper Tiger’. A short sampling, “Thirty years of growth does not mean unending growth. It means that the probability of China continuing to grow at this rate is diminishing…slower growth means substantial social and political problems”. 3) Gordon Chang’s ‘The Coming Collapse of China’ is an instructional, “Regimes are most vulnerable when they try to modernize, and the People’s Republic is entering its most dangerous period”. 4) George Magnus’ ‘Red Flags’. Chief Economic Commentator of ‘Financial Times’, Martin Wolf’s observation, “Magnus explains the many challenges Xi Jinpings China must overcome, if it is to do so, and the many challenges it will pose to the rest of the world, if it does so”. 5) Former Chinese Premier Zhao Ziyangs (1980-87) and ousted General Secretary 1987-89 smuggled auto-biography, ‘Prisoner of the State’ written under house arrest. A liberal reformist who exhorted China adopt democracy for long-term stability similar to Singapore. China’s economy is described as “bird-cage”. Happy New Year to all!