Capitalism takes on different forms in different circumstances, with no exception to China. China’s capitalism, often termed state capitalism, is neither “deviant” nor “hostile,” but merely the latest in a string of state developmentalist projects that have engendered successful industrialization.

It was the world’s most dramatic two weeks for the turmoil caused by the novel coronavirus. From the giant statues of Rapa Nui (Easter Island) and scenic beauty of Patagonia, I followed with enforced detachment. The World Health Organization declared Covid-19 as a world pandemic during this period. With the coronavirus spreading to 80 countries in a blink of eye, the stock market plummeted to a level not seen since Trump came into office.

China’s recent economic prosperity is tied to the emergence of a unique political economy, “Sino-capitalism.” This system remains deeply misunderstood in the West, yet forms an integral and highly important component of the global economy that cannot be “contained.”

Socialism with Chinese characteristics is becoming increasingly popular.

Cold War benefits no one.

To the extent that it raises living standards, the “China Model” fulfills some requirements of political legitimacy. But, once those living standards reach a certain level, the Chinese people will almost certainly demand more personal freedom and political accountability.

CHINA has followed an economic development strategy radically different from the neo-liberal “Washington Consensus” advocated by the IMF. The author compares the results of what will be termed China’s “socialist development strategy” versus the Washington Consensus.

Five Year Plan contains an important proposal that has largely been overlooked: the ‘professionalization and modernization’ of agriculture. The history of agricultural development in countries like the United States suggests the destabilizing consequences in the Chinese countryside.

The China Dream and the China Model are complementary in Xi’s strategic vision, of which relations with the developing world are a central part. Developments in the Middle East and Africa show how large a factor China now is in economic globalization, but while the China Model is based on noninterference in politics, Mel Gurtov argues that separating economics from politics is a challenge.