China Celebrates 60 Years of Communism

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In The Media

China Celebrates 60 Years of Communism

While China’s military parade may provide a temporary boost of national pride, in the long term, it will be little more than a passing distraction from the intractable problems confronting the regime.

By Minxin Pei

Published on Oct 1, 2009

Source: Newshour

In a spectacular display of nationalistic pride, China held a military parade on October 1 to commemorate the sixtieth anniversary of the People’s Republic. Along with reaffirming the strength and security of the ruling CCP, the parade was also used to showcase China’s impressive accomplishments in gaining economic, military, and political power over the past 30 years. Despite this, tremendous challenges lie ahead. China faces an aging population, an over-reliance on manufacturing, a dangerous imbalance on exports, stagnating consumption rates, and serious environmental degradation – all of which threaten to put a damper on future prospects for growth. So while China’s grandiose military production may succeed in temporarily boosting national pride, in the long term, it will be little more than a passing distraction from the intractable problems confronting the regime.

About the Author

Minxin Pei

Former Adjunct Senior Associate, Asia Program

Pei is Tom and Margot Pritzker ‘72 Professor of Government and the director of the Keck Center for International and Strategic Studies at Claremont McKenna College.

Recent Work

In The Media
How China Can Avoid the Next Conflict
- Minxin Pei
In The Media
Small Change
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Political Reform Economy Security Military East Asia China

Carnegie does not take institutional positions on public policy issues; the views represented herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of Carnegie, its staff, or its trustees.

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