Should China be worried about Egypt?

The last 18 days in Egypt will do doubt have been watched closely by the ruling elite of the People's Republic of China. But should they be worried about the power of these People?

Whilst many Chinese increasingly have the confidence to express their grievances on line, the fundamentals of the Chinese economy remain very strong. As a result, the typical Chinese is much closer to the top of Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs pyramid than the typical Egyptian. The complaints of the Chinese people therefore tend to be from a vocal minority rather than the majority.











Another key difference is that China now changes its leadership on a regular basis, so avoiding the risk of any single individual ever becoming as entrenched as Mubarak (or Mao) had become.

I believe that China is more sensibly compared to Singapore than Egypt. Singapore has demonstrated that you do not need true democracy to create a modern, dynamic, functional and successful economy. If China, over time, really is able to recreate on a larger scale what Singapore has created, with a firm but fair rule of law, racial tolerance and improved human rights, then China's leaders will no longer have to keep a nervous eye on their central square in Beijing.




Happy Chinese families enjoying the Spring Festival sun in Shanghai, February 2011