China, the fragile 21st century mercantilist state

Any sign of growing weakness in China's economy will have a negative effect on China's relations with developing nations whose economies, and regime survival, are reliant on China's influential industrial, economic and military power to deflect UN sanctions and intervention.

China's rate of economic growth, civil unrest containment, and survival of the CCP itself, are reliant on China remaining a mercantilist state. The CCP arrogance, intolerance, and greed however, have constructed a fragile China house of cards that is now facing the strengthening winds of change.

Time to pause

The world acknowledges climate change as the most serious potential threat to the global economy, survival of many nations and life on planet earth itself.

China is the world's biggest polluter and greenhouse gas (GHG) emitter, and to achieve its annual rate of growth, pollution and GHG emissions will escalate at a rate that will reverse any benefits from sacrifices by other nations to reduce global warming.

The hard question

China's planned growth is unsustainable in terms of escalating pollution, and the continuing impact on public health across China as well as demands on water, and arable land. At the expense of downstream nations, China continues with plans to harvest the Himalayan water tower to sustain China and its people. Water alone however, will not suffice.

China is adamant that an 8 per cent minimal annual growth is critical to producing the cheap goods for the global consumer economies and claims that any slowdown in China's economy will affect global and individual national economies. Beijing conveniently overlooks the fact that its economy and exports are reliant on the goodwill and co-operation of the global community, plus the need for shared response and sacrifice.

It comes down to which nations will continue to increase demand for China's cheap consumer goods, knowing full well that such demand will substantially increase water consumption, total pollution levels and increasing emissions of GHGs and undermine their own sacrifices to halt global warming.

Successful or not, there can be no satisfaction in knowing China's own people will become the first large scale casualties of China's unsustainable plans and policies.